Freedom of Speech The Engel Vs Vitale Case Essay example

Freedom of speech was a big topic spoken about in the 1950’s and even today. Schools in the 1950’s had to recite a specific prayer every morning in school not like today. Students had to recite the â€Å"twenty two word regents prayer†. The Engel Vs Vitale case has to do with separation of church and state, meaning that there should be a separation between peoples views on religious freedom and the government. In the first amendment, Thomas Jefferson introduced this law and rule during the colonies but then this later evolved into the United States, where into the 1950’s became a huge debate on who was right and who was wrong. The Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale expanded the rights of Americans because the Supreme Court ruled in favor of†¦show more content†¦Petitions were filed and New York State upheld the case and then sent it to the Supreme Court(Britannica School High paragraph 2). A couple of the families were Jewish, another family was atheist, one parent was Unitarian and the last parent was of an ethical culture society. The Parents were to believe that the school was violating the first amendment of the constitution and this was not right; that according to Thomas Jefferson there should be a separation of state and church. Never before had the public school board been argued against with prayer like issues ( Haas, pg 7-20). The Supreme court case started in 1959 and ended in 1962, surprising the whole nation. One of the most historic most remembered cases was announced on June 25th, 1962 giving a lot of people anxiety and releasing a lot of stress. The voting came out to six votes to one vote in favor of Engel and the students ending the eight second prayer called the â€Å"Regents Prayer†. 2 votes were unsolicited, because Justice Byron R. White was a new Justice and did not think it was right to vote right on admittance to the system. The other vote was not taken by Justice Felix Frankfurter because he was about to retire, due to old age andShow MoreRelatedIntent of the Framers1628 Words   |  7 Pagesintent of the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to privacy, and criminals’ rights. I will explain current views of the provisions of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to privacy, and criminals’ rights. I will assess which events and opinions have changed the intent of each of these provisions over time. I will evaluate the effects of Supreme C ourt decisions related to these provisions and express consideration for the future of these provisions. Freedom of speech is part ofRead MoreUs Bill of Rights First Amendment1740 Words   |  7 PagesU.S. Supreme Court Cases that challenged the â€Å"First Amendment.† The â€Å"First Amendment† includes the Right to Choose Ones Religion, and does not allow the government to create any laws in respect to establishing a religion. 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