High Court Bans Prayer In Schools

High Court Bans Prayer in Schools
6 to 1 Majority Rules Recital Violates Freedom

WASHINGTON, June 25, 1962—
The Supreme Court ruled today that daily recital of an official state prayer in public schools, even though non-compulsory, offends the religious freedom guarantees in the Constitution.

The 6-1 decision came in a New York case but will affec; many thousands of schools throughout
the country. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote the court's decision. The dissenter was Justice Potter Stewart. Black said "it has been argued that to apply the Constitution in : such a way as to prohibit state laws respecting an establishment of religious services in public schools is to indicate a hostility toward religion or toward prayer. 'Not Sacrilegious' "Nothing, of course, could be more wrong." he said. But, he added: "It is neither sacrilegious nor anti-religious to say that each separate government in this country should stay out of the business of writing or sanctioning official prayers and leave that purely religious function to the people themselves .and to those the people choose to look to for religious guidance."

The decision came as the court' cleared out a backlog of cases on the final day of its 1961-62 term.