Public Schools & Prayer

Public Schools & Prayer, part of the seven-volume series World Religion in America, offers a brief history of prayer in public schools as a prelude to opening a discussion of the First Amendment's so-called “establishment” clause regarding religion and the role of prayer in state-sponsored schools. In many public schools throughout the U.S., organized public prayer was part of the morning ritual, until 1962—when the U.S. Supreme Court declared the practice unconstitutional. Since then, the highest court in the land has been called to rule on cases ranging from whether student-led prayers delivered over a PA system at a football game are constitutionally protected, to whether the teaching of religion itself should be part of a complete education. With the “profound and flourishing diversity of faith and prayer practices” across America, much about this wide-ranging subject remains open for debate. Other titles in this series include (series price for single site: $279): Civil Religion & Prayer, Science & Prayer, Reform Prayer, Industrialism & Civil Rights Prayer, Immigrant & Slave Prayer, and Pluralistic Prayer. An objective and informative overview of the subject, this is recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)