Civil Rights: The Engel Vs. Vitale Case

Words: 1161
Pages: 5
Open Document
Civil rights, as best defined by Cornell Law School, are any, “Enforceable right[s] or privilege[s]…[They] refer to legal provisions that stem from notions of equality.” (Cornell Law School, 1) In other words, civil rights are legal protections of equality. Among the various Supreme Court cases that deal with civil rights, Engel v. Vitale is one of the most noteworthy. Engel v. Vitale is a landmark supreme court case that determined that prayer in schools is unconstitutional. It set the precedent for future cases that had to do with the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause (Griffith 1987, 97) . Like any other landmark case, it is imperative to consider the case from start to finish and the impact that it has had on America as a whole.
To provide context, the Engel v. …show more content…
Constitution. Namely, the rights disputed were the rights to freedom of religion. It set the precedent for future cases that had to do with the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause such as Abington School District v. Schempp (1963) and Westside Community Schools v. Mergers (1990) (United States Courts, 2-3) . It is clearly demonstrated that oftentimes, people do not usually consider the freedoms they have and the struggles their predecessors had to fight to attain said freedoms. The fight for separation of church and state still has a long way to go because despite the final ruling, the case remains controversial in America (Oyez, 3) . When the court case was decided, some suggested that it suppressed religious expression in schools and more recently, U.S. Representative Mike Johnson hosted a community event to encourage students to exercise their right to freedom of speech and expression of religion in schools (Johnson 2018, 2) . This is a clear example of how the public is not completely in accordance with the decision made by Engel v.
Show More

Related Documents: Civil Rights: The Engel Vs. Vitale Case

Summary: The Supremacy Clause

In a limited government, the power of government to intervene in the exercise of civil liberties is restricted by law used sometimes by a written constitution. The idea is a principle of classical liberalism, free market libertarianism, conservatism in the United States. The theory of limited government contrasts with the idea that government should intervene to promote equality and opportunity through the regulation of property and wealth redistribution. In the United States, the idea of limited…

Words 1169 - Pages 5

History: Apollo 11 and Martin Luther King Essay

promoting civil rights, equality for different cultures, and advances in science and exploration. Entering the 1960s, a new culture appeared and quickly gained popularity. This culture was known as the counterculture, the flower children, or hippies. They followed no strict aspects of life, opposed violence, and tolerated drugs. They encouraged other non-Protestant religions, sexual freedom, and supported the rock genre of music. In 1962, a Supreme Court case called Engel vs. Vitale ruled school…

Words 1478 - Pages 6