Questions: The Supreme Court has struck down
a. Bible readings in school
b. meditation in school
c. prayer in school
d. a moment of silence in school
Transcript text: The Supreme Court has struck down
a. Bible readings in school
b. meditation in school
c. prayer in school
d. a moment of silence in school
Solution
Answer
The answer is c. prayer in school
Explanation
Option 1: Bible readings in school
The Supreme Court has addressed the issue of Bible readings in public schools, particularly in the case of Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), where it ruled that mandatory Bible readings in public schools were unconstitutional. However, this is not the most commonly referenced case when discussing the prohibition of religious activities in schools.
Option 2: Meditation in school
Meditation, when practiced in a secular manner, has not been struck down by the Supreme Court. The Court's decisions have focused more on religious activities rather than secular practices like meditation.
Option 3: Prayer in school
The Supreme Court has specifically ruled against organized prayer in public schools in the landmark case Engel v. Vitale (1962). This decision held that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools.
Option 4: A moment of silence in school
The Supreme Court has addressed moments of silence in schools, particularly in Wallace v. Jaffree (1985). The Court struck down an Alabama law that mandated a moment of silence for "meditation or voluntary prayer" because it was seen as an endorsement of religion. However, moments of silence that are genuinely neutral and not intended to promote prayer have not been universally struck down.