Which case struck down school-sponsored Bible readings and devotional exercises in public schools as violating the Establishment Clause?

• A. Abington School District v. Schempp (1963)
• B. Engle v. Vitale (1962)
• C. Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)
• D. Reynolds v. United States (1879)

Answer: (A)

Public schools cannot sponsor religious activities because doing so would endorse religion and pressure students to participate, violating the Establishment Clause. In Abington School District v. Schempp, the Court struck down daily Bible readings and devotional exercises in public schools, ruling that having the state mandate or encourage religious activity within a public institution amounts to government endorsement of religion and coerces students into religious practice. This case is the specific ruling that addresses Bible readings and devotional exercises in schools. Engle v. Vitale, while related, focused on school-sponsored prayer and reached a similar Establishment Clause conclusion but with a different focus. Reynolds v. United States deals with free exercise and not Establishment Clause concerns, and Lemon v. Kurtzman (not the case in question) later provided a framework for evaluating Establishment Clause challenges.