Freedom of Speech: The Engel Vs Vitale Case

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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 “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 Stephen Engel and the families of the students against prayer in schooling; because of this decision, students should be able to absent themselves from prayer in school.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, people from Great Britain, moved and voyaged to the colonies for many reasons. A bulge of people moved to the “New World” , because there were more opportunities, as well as freedoms. The colonies offered freedom of religion and freedom and belief. As a colonist you had a right to believe in different religions than another person. In England you were to believe in the Church of England. In the colonies you were allowed to belief in any religion, stated in the first amendment(Brannen Jr., et al pg. 109).
The Engel v. Vitale Supreme Court case was between, a parent, of a student named Stephen Engel and he was opposed to William Vitale Jr, the chairman board of the New Hyde Park school district located in New York. Many around the USA renamed the case as “New York Regents Prayer Case”. The reason t...

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...y one school besides thousands of others. Engel and the parents were really just to speak up and show how their kids were being held up in school. The Supreme Court case has had and still today stands as a long lasting effect on our nation.

Works Cited

Brannen Jr., Daniel E., Richard Clay Hare and Rebeca E. Valentine, Supreme Court Drama: Cases that Changed America. 2 ed. Detroit: V-X-L, 2011, Print,

Engel v. Vitale. The Legal Dictionary. Wed March 26 2014. www.legal-dictionary.com
(“Engel v. Vitale, “The Legal Dictionary).

( “Engel v. Vitale,” Britannica School )
Engel v. Vitale. The Britannic School. Wed March 26 www.Britannicaschool.com ( Engel v. Vitale - Wednesday March 26 )
.

( Engel v. Vitale )
Separation of Church and State ( Haas, Carol, Pgs 7-20)
Landmark Supreme Court Cases

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