Religion in Public Schools

Timeline created by jnolin1 in History

Timeline Text view

Event Date:	Event Title:	Event Description:
07/01/1647	"old Deluder Satan" Act	Religious motives in 1647 brought forth the "old Deluder Satan" Act, requiring towns of 50 or more to establish schools for teaching children to read and write. This would enable students to read the Bible.
12/15/1791	First Amendment	The First Amendment specified that "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
06/14/1943	Students Not Required to Recite the Pledge of Allegiance	In West Virginia v. Barnette, the Supreme Court made it clear that students may not be required to salute the flag if they object to it on the basis of religion or conscience.
02/10/1947	Establishment Clause	Everson v. Board of Education was the first major establishment clause decision, wherein the Court held that the government cannot aid any one religion or even all religions, but instead must be neutral toward religion.
03/08/1948	Religious Instruction Unconstitutional	Religious instruction in schools was declared unconstitutional. This led to "release-time" religious education, where the instruction took place off school grounds.
06/25/1962	Prayer/Bible Reading in Public Schools	The Supreme Court declares that school-sponsored prayer and/or bible reading violates the establishment clause.
06/28/1971	Three-Part Test (Lemon Test)	In Lemon v. Kurtzman, the Supreme Court announced a three-part test to evaluate establishment clause. The policy must (1) have a secular purpose, (2) have a primary effect that neither advances nor impedes religion, and (3) avoid excessive entanglement of government with religion.
12/09/1981	Antievoluation Statute Struck Down	An Arkansas antievolution statute was struck down, holding that evolution theory is a science and a state cannot restrict such teaching in favor of a religious preference.
08/08/1985	Posting Ten Commandments Unconstitutional	The Supreme Court declared a Kentucky law unconstitutional that required the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.
06/24/1992	Graduation Prayers	In Lee v. Weisman, in a Rhode Island school district, the Court deemed holding invocations and benedictions at graduation ceremonies as a violation of the establishment clause. Many schools found ways around this by designating graduation ceremonies as a "forum for student expression."