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Students are not required to recite the pledge.
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1st major establishment clause decision, where it was said that the governement cannot aid a religion of any kind.
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Time set aside in school during school hours for religious instruction was declared unconstitutional.
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"Release Time" religious education came next. It is practiced in many school districts even today.
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Supreme Court declared that school sponsored prayer and/or Bible reading violated the establishment clause.
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This stated that the evolution theory is a science and a state cannot restrict such teaching in favor of religious preference.
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The government must have a secular purpose, have a primary effect that neither advances or impedes religion, and avoid excessive entanglement of governement and religion.
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The Court exempted the children from school attendance after successful completion of eighth grade.
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Supreme Court declared a Kentucky law unconstitutional that required the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.
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Alalbama inserted "or voluntary prayer" into their statute that authorized a period of silent meditation.
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In the Tennessee school district the parents fought for their children to be exempt from certain types of education and were unsuccessful.
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Rhode Island school district declared it unconstitutional to have the clergy come and speak at graduation ceremonies.
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An Idaho sch/ dist. selected student speakers by class standing and allowed them to recite "and address, poem, reading, song, musical presentation, prayer, or any other pronouncement of their choosing.
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Parents have been trying to ban certain book series like Harry Potter from the classroom and have been unsuccessful.
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If public schools are not involved there is no "state action" and therfore no violation of the establishment clause.
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The only case that has been put before the courts regarding the words "Under God".