Religion in Education

  • West Virginia v. Barnette

    Students/Teacehers may not be required to salute the flag.
  • Everson v. Board of Education

    First major establishment decision, wherein the court held that the government cannor aid any region or even all regilions, but instead must be neutral toward religion.
  • McCollum v. Board of Education

    Setting aside time in school, during school hours, for religious instruction declared unconstitutional.
  • Zorach v. Clausen

    Schools having "release time" regious education, where the instruction took place off school grounds was upheld.
  • Epperson v. Arkansas

    U.S. Supreme Court struck down an Arkansas antievolution statute under the establishment clause, holding that evolution theory is a science and a state cannot restrict such teaching in favor of religious preference.
  • Lemon v. Kurtzman

    Government announced a three-part test to evaluate establishment clause claims.
  • Wisconsin v. Yoder

    Best-known case invoving free exercise claim invloved the Amish, the Court excempt the children from school attendance after successful completion of eighth grade.
  • Alabama: Prayer in School

    The Supreme Court struck down an Alabama law that inserted the phrase "or voluntary prayer" into an existing statute that authorized a periof of silent meditation.
  • Stone v. Graham

    Kentucky law requiring posting of Ten Commandments in schools declared unconstitutional.
  • Mozert v. Hawkins County Board of Education

    The burden is on the parents to prove that their sincerely held religious beliefs would be violated by curriculum offering. Failed in this case, they found on burden on religion because they were not required to perform religious excercises or profess beliefs.
  • Lee v. Weisman

    Common practice of a principle inviting members of the clergy to deliver invocations and benedictions at gradution ceremonies was declared unconstitutional by the court as a viollation of the extablishment clause in Rhode Island.
  • Doe v. Madison School District

    An Idaho school district designated the graduation ceremmony a "forum for student expression? and students could include religious messages at their discretion.
  • Altman v. Bedford

    Parents have tried unsuccessfully to exclude certain reading series for promoting witchcraft or Satanism. However, in this case one new York case ruled in favor of parents who asserted that parts of a program offended their Catholic faith.
  • Lassonde v. Pleasanton Unified School District

    If public schools are in no way involved, there is no "state action" and therefore no violation of the extablishment clause.
  • Newdow v. United Stated States

    Inclusion of phrase "under god" chanllenged. Dismissed on procedural grounds because the father who brought the suit did not have legal custody of the student.