WALLACE v. JAFFREE
Supreme Court Cases
472 U.S. 38 (1985)
Case Overview
Legal Principle at Issue
Does an Alabama state statute authorizing a 1-minute moment of silence in public schools for “meditation or voluntary prayer” (and teacher-led prayer activities) violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?
Action
Affirmed (includes modified). Petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition.
Facts/Syllabus
In proceedings instituted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, appellees challenged the constitutionality of a 1981 Alabama statute authorizing a one-minute period of silence in all public schools "for meditation or voluntary prayer." Although finding the statute was an effort to encourage a religious activity, the district court ultimately held that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment does not prohibit a state from establishing a religion. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reversed.