Prayer, Public Schools and the Supreme Court

A more complete understanding of the case, while doing much to temper the initial outburst of disapproval, did not by any means dispel all criticism of the decision or allay all the apprehensions aroused by it. Believing that the Supreme Court’s opinion was premised on a fundamentally erroneous interpretation of the establishment clause of the first amendment, Bishop James A. Pike headed a movement to amend the Constitution so as to restore what he regarded as the true and intended meaning of its pertinent language. In the meantime, the Supreme Court has agreed to review and has heard argument on cases dealing with the constitutionality of Bible reading and recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in public schools. The decisions in these cases may be expected to result in resumption of the public debate sparked by Engel.