JUNE 17

On this date in 1963 (the year I graduated from high school), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled by an 8 to 1 vote to prohibit Bible reading in public schools.  In Abington (Pennsylvania) School District v. Schempp, it ruled it unconstitutional for the district  to require recitation of Bible verses or the Lord's Prayer in it's schools.

The year before, in Engel v. Vitale, the Court made the landmark decision that said prayer in public schools was a violation of the "separation clause" in the Constitution.  After that, many public school districts were trying to change their methods so that they could legally provide some reference to religion.   It didn't work.

The Schempp case is not nearly as well known as that brought by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the founder of American Atheists.  Her case was consolidated with the Schempp case on appeal and became the landmark forbidding the reading of the Bible in public schools.

I went to high school in turbulent times!

'o.o'