Question

Based on the constitutional clause identified in part a, explain why the facts of engel v. vitale led to a similar holding in the case of lee v. weisman.

Answer 1

Engel v. Vitale and Lee v. Weisman are connected by their reliance on the Establishment Clause to prohibit state-sponsored prayer in public schools, reaffirming the separation of church and state principle.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Supreme Court case of Engel v. Vitale led to a similar holding in the case of Lee v. Weisman because both cases revolved around the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In Engel v. Vitale, the Supreme Court ruled that the recitation of a non-denominational prayer in public schools was unconstitutional as it violated the Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from endorsing religion. The Court held that even non-denominational prayers provided by the state were considered an official approval of religion.

The later case of Lee v. Weisman dealt with a clergy-led prayer at a public school graduation ceremony. Similarly, the Supreme Court found this to be a violation of the Establishment Clause. As with Engel v. Vitale, despite the nonsectarian nature of the prayer, having it as part of a public school event amounted to government endorsement of religion.

These two cases reinforce the concept of the separation of church and state and affirm that government actions in public education must not favor or promote religious practices, protecting the rights of all students regardless of their religious beliefs.