Religion in Education

By bcrouch

  • West Virginia v. Barnette

    Students are not required to recite the pledge.

  • Everson v. Board

    1st major establishment clause decision, where it was said that the governement cannot aid a religion of any kind.

  • McCollum v. Bd. of Education

    Time set aside in school during school hours for religious instruction was declared unconstitutional.

  • Zorach v. Clausen

    "Release Time" religious education came next. It is practiced in many school districts even today.

  • Sch. District of Abington Township v. Schemp

    Supreme Court declared that school sponsored prayer and/or Bible reading violated the establishment clause.

  • Epperson v. Arkansas

    This stated that the evolution theory is a science and a state cannot restrict such teaching in favor of religious preference.

  • Lemon v. Kurtzman

    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.

  • Wisconsin v. Yoder

    The Court exempted the children from school attendance after successful completion of eighth grade.

  • Stone v. Graham

    Supreme Court declared a Kentucky law unconstitutional that required the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

  • Wallace v. Jaffee

    Alalbama inserted "or voluntary prayer" into their statute that authorized a period of silent meditation.

  • Mozert v. Hawkins Cnty. Bd. of Education

    In the Tennessee school district the parents fought for their children to be exempt from certain types of education and were unsuccessful.

  • Lee v. Weisman

    Rhode Island school district declared it unconstitutional to have the clergy come and speak at graduation ceremonies.

  • Doe v. Madison Sch. dist.

    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.

  • Altman v. Bedford Cent. Sch. Dist.

    Parents have been trying to ban certain book series like Harry Potter from the classroom and have been unsuccessful.

  • Lassonade v. Pleasanton Unified Sch. Dist.

    If public schools are not involved there is no "state action" and therfore no violation of the establishment clause.

  • Newdow v. United States

    The only case that has been put before the courts regarding the words "Under God".