Hi Joan, I started to do a little legal research on the issue of posting the Commandments in public schools, and discovered that the United States Supreme Court essentially ruled against this concept back in 1963! I will research further to see if this case has been limited in any way, but I don't think it has. So unless there is a constitutional amendment on the issue, the law would be unconstitutional. More later. I am posting an excerpt, if you want the whole thing let me know.
* * * EXCERPT FROM: ABINGTON SCHOOL DIST. V. SCHEMPP 374 U.S. 203
ABINGTON SCHOOL DIST. v. SCHEMPP 374 U.S. 203
374 U.S. 203
SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA, ET AL.
v.
SCHEMPP ET AL.
No. 142.
Argued: February 27-28, 1963
Decided: June 17, 1963. /*
APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA.
/* [Page 203] Together with No. 119, Murray et al. v. Curlett et al., Constituting the Board of School Commissioners of Baltimore City, on certiorari to the Court of Appeals of Maryland, argued February 27, 1963.
Because of the prohibition of the First Amendment against the enactment by Congress of any law "respecting an establishment of religion," which is made applicable to the States by the Fourteenth Amendment, no state law or school board may require that passages from the Bible be read or that the Lord's Prayer be recited in the public schools of a State at the beginning of each school day --even if individual students may be excused from attending or participating in such exercises upon written request of their parents. Pp. 205-227.
201 F. Supp. 815, affirmed.
228 Md. 239, 179 A. 2d 698, reversed.
|
