June 25, 1962 - Supreme Court Removes Prayer from Schools

In a decision handed down on June 25, 1962, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of five Hyde Park, New York, families who sued the state over mandatory prayer in schools. The prayer in question stated, “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country. Amen.” The lone dissenting vote was Justice Potter Steward (who remained a Justice until 1981, when Sandra Day O’Connor took his place). Stewart thought the 4th Amendment/Establishment Clause was not violated because he believed this only prohibited the creation of a unified, government-created church. He viewed state-sponsored prayer as a different matter entirely.