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United States Constitution Ratified 21 Jun 1788
This significant document, the basis of the American legal system and way of life, became law. -
Signer of Declaration of Independence supports using Bible as school textbook1 Jul 1830
A letter written by Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration of Independence, is published in support of using the Bible as a school textbook. As a sidebar, he was quoted as saying in 1782, "The Revolutionary War may be over, but the battle of independence has just begun." -
Evans v. Selma Union High School District of Fresno County - Religion25 Mar 1924
Evans v. Selma Union High School District of Fresno County - Religion
25 Mar 1924 The California State Supreme Court held that the King James version of the Bible was not a "publication of a sectarian, partisan, or denominational character" that a State statute required a public high school library to exclude from its collections. The "fact that the King James version is commonly used by Protestant Churches and not by Catholics" does not "make its character sectarian," the court stated -
West Virginia v. Barnette 31 Aug 1943
The Supreme Court made it clear that students are not required to salute the flag. -
Everson v. Board of Education 31 Aug 1947
This was the first major establishment clause decision where the court held that the government cannot aid any one religion or all religions, but must remain neutral toward religion. -
McCollum v. Bd. of Education 31 Aug 1948
McCollum sued the Board of Education because religious teachers were brought in to teach students at a certain time during the school day. The Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional and violating the Establishment Clause. -
Zorach v. Clauson 31 Aug 1952
Supreme Court rules that New York School law may allow students to leave the school premises, provided by a written statement from a parent, to go to religious centers to get religious instruction or join in religious devotion. -
Lemon v. Kurtzman 31 Aug 1971
Lemon v. Kurtzman
31 Aug 1971 The Supreme Court announced a three-part test to evaluate establishment clause claims. The three- part test is called the Lemon Test. It assures that schools are teaching for the purpose of learning and not religious purposes and governments do not affiliate with one religion but is neutral. -
Freiler v. Tangipahoa April 1994
The decision of the Supreme Court ( January24, 2000) established that there be a disclaimer read before teaching the Theory of Evolution or Creationism. This was to ensure that no one was offended and that the school was still seperated from religion. -
Santa Fe v. Doe 19 june 2000
The Supreme Court ruled that student lead, student initiated prayer at a high school football game was unconstitutional and violated the Establishment Clause. -
Cole v. Oroville 2000
The Supreme Court ruled that no valedictorian is allowed to mention "God" in the speech for it causes the school to be in violation of the Establishment Clause by showing support of the entire speech. -
Baker v. Adams 19 November 2002
The Supreme Court ruled that the "Ten Commandments" be taken off the property of a public school. It is a violation of the Establishment Clause to have the Ten Commandments on public school property. -
Myers v. Loudon 10 Aug. 2005
Supreme Court ruled that it is in violation of the Establishment Clause for public schools to lead students in the Pledge of Allegiance. -
Doe v. Porter 2004
The Supreme Court ruled that public schools can not bring in religious groups to teach students any religion or about the Bible. -
Child Evangelism v. Stafford 2004
The Supreme Court ruled that no religious group can advertise through elementary students. They felt that elementary students were not capable of understanding religion nough to be able to associate themselves with one religion. They felt that it was unconstitutional to target parents through the children.