What landmark case addressed the issue of school prayer in public schools?

Engel v. Vitale is the landmark case that directly addressed the issue of school prayer in public schools. Decided by the Supreme Court in 1962, the case involved a New York State law that encouraged public schools to recite a short, voluntary prayer at the start of each school day. The Court ruled that this practice was unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or unduly favoring one religion over another.

The decision established a significant precedent regarding the separation of church and state, reinforcing the idea that public schools—being government institutions—cannot sponsor religious activities, including prayer. Engel v. Vitale remains a key case in discussions surrounding the role of religion in public education and has influenced subsequent legal cases addressing similar issues.