What was the ruling in Engel v. Vitale (1962)?

The ruling in Engel v. Vitale (1962) established that state-sponsored, recited prayer in public schools is unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The case arose when the New York Board of Regents authorized a short, voluntary prayer for students to recite at the beginning of each school day. The Supreme Court determined that even though the prayer was non-denominational and voluntary, it still represented an endorsement of religion by the state. Thus, the ruling reinforced the principle of separation of church and state, asserting that government entities, including public schools, should not be involved in promoting religious activities. This landmark decision had significant implications for the relationship between government and religion in educational institutions, maintaining that public schools must remain neutral in matters of religion.