Hello, I'm an expert in the field of American legal history and constitutional law. I'm here to provide you with a comprehensive and accurate answer to your question about when it became illegal to pray in school within the United States.

The issue of prayer in public schools is a complex one, deeply rooted in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which includes the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion," while the Free Exercise Clause protects the free exercise of religion. The intersection of these clauses with public education has led to significant legal debate and several landmark Supreme Court decisions.

Engel v. Vitale (1962) was the first significant case that addressed the issue of state-sponsored prayer in public schools. In this case, the New York State Board of Regents had composed a non-denominational prayer that was recommended, but not required, to be recited by students at the start of each school day. The Supreme Court, in an 8-1 decision, ruled that this practice violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Court reasoned that the state's involvement in composing and recommending the prayer constituted an impermissible advancement of religion.

**Abington School District v. Schempp (1963)** followed shortly after Engel v. Vitale and further clarified the constitutionality of religious practices in public schools. In this case, the Court considered two separate issues: the reading of Bible verses or reciting the Lord's Prayer in school, and the release time program for religious education. The Court ruled that both practices were unconstitutional, with the majority opinion stating that they violated the Establishment Clause because they represented a state action that established a religious exercise.

The Court's decisions in Engel and Schempp are often cited as the legal basis for the notion that school-sponsored prayer is illegal. However, it's important to note that these decisions do not prohibit all forms of prayer or religious expression in schools. Students are still allowed to pray privately and to discuss their religious beliefs with others, as long as such activities do not disrupt the educational process or constitute a state endorsement of religion.

The aftermath of these decisions has been a subject of ongoing debate and controversy. Some argue that they correctly interpret the Constitution's protection of religious freedom, while others believe they have led to an overly secular public sphere. There have been numerous attempts to legislate prayer in schools or to challenge the Supreme Court's interpretation, but these efforts have generally not succeeded in changing the legal landscape established by Engel and Schempp.

In conclusion, the landmark Supreme Court decisions of Engel v. Vitale and Abington School District v. Schempp established the principle that school-sponsored prayer and Bible readings are unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. These decisions have shaped the legal understanding of the separation of church and state in the context of public education in the United States.

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In two landmark decisions -C Engel v. Vitale on June 25, 1962, and Abington School District v. Schempp on June 17, 1963 -C the Supreme Court declared school-sponsored prayer and Bible readings unconstitutional.Jun 16, 2013read more >>