Title: School Prayer: Separation of Church and State
Headings: School Prayer: Separation of Church and State
School Prayer: Separation of Church and State
Why Johnny Can't Pray -- At School
School Prayer Declared Unconstitutional
How the Supreme Court Decide Issues of Religion in Government
The Lemon Test
The Coercion Test
The Endorsement Test
Church and State Controversy Will Not Go Away
The Roots of 'Separation of Church and State

Content: The Supreme Court had, in essence, re-drawn constitutional lines by ruling that public schools, as part of the “state,” were no longer a place for the practice of religion. How the Supreme Court Decide Issues of Religion in Government
Over many years and many cases mainly involving religion in public schools, the Supreme Court has developed three "tests" to be applied to religious practices for determining their constitutionality under the First Amendment’s establishment clause. The Lemon Test
Based on the 1971 case of Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602, 612-13, the court will rule a practice unconstitutional if: The practice lacks any secular purpose. That is if the practice lacks any non-religious purpose; or
the practice either promotes or inhibits a particular religion; or
the practice excessively (in the court's opinion) involves the government with a religion. The Coercion Test
Based on the 1992 case of Lee v. Weisman, 505 U.S. 577 the religious practice is examined to see to what extent, if any, overt pressure is applied to force or coerce individuals to participate. The Court has defined that "Unconstitutional coercion occurs when: ( 1) the government directs (2) a formal religious exercise (3) in such a way as to oblige the participation of objectors."