Final answer:
The move to remove prayer and Bible reading from public schools was primarily led by Supreme Court decisions such as Engel v. Vitale, Abington School District v. Schempp, and Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, which interpreted the Establishment Clause as prohibiting school-sponsored prayer and Bible readings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The movement to remove prayer and Bible reading from public schools in the United States was reinforced by several Supreme Court decisions that interpreted the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In Engel v. Vitale, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that government-written prayers were not to be recited in public schools and were a violation of the U.S. Constitution. This 1962 case revolved around the Board of Regents for the State of New York, who had authorized a short, voluntary prayer for recitation at the beginning of each school day.
Following this case, Abington School District v. Schempp in 1963 extended this ruling to include school-sponsored reading of the Bible and recitation of the Lord's Prayer as unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause. Additionally, the Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe case in 2000 also played a critical role in confirming that prayer led by students violates the Establishment Clause if it happens in a school setting. These decisions reflect a balance between the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom and the prohibition against government endorsement of religion.
Despite these Supreme Court rulings, there continues to be debate about the role of prayer in public schools, as demonstrated by varied public opinion and legislative proposals such as the School Prayer Amendment introduced in 2003. These complex legal and social issues exemplify the challenges of navigating religious expression in public institutions.