ENGEL V. VITALE (1962)
What were the facts of this case?
Parent sued on behalf of their child that the law requiring public schools to say the pledge of allegiance and a prayer was a violation of the first amendment
What was this case about?
Clarence Earl Gideon was charged with breaking and entering. When he went to court he didn’t have an attorney because he couldn’t afford one, so he asked the judge to appoint him one. His request was denied. Gideon ended up representing himself, and was convicted. When he got out he filed a petition saying his constitutional rights were violated by the judge, and it was denied by the Florida Supreme court, he then took it to the US supreme court.
What were the facts on this case?
Students at a public high school in Des Moines, Iowa were going to wear black armbands in protest of the Vietnam War, the principal said if they did that they would be suspended. Some students who wore them were suspended and some of their parents sued the school.
What was this case about?
The New York Times wanted to publish a history of the US activities in Vietnam that was classified to the Defense Department, the Nixon administration wanted to prevent them from doing this.
What were the facts of this case?
Three Amish families in Wisconsin argued that their first amendment right was violated by the law requiring children to attend school. The Amish religion forbids parents from sending their children to school after 8th grade because they believed it would disrupt their way of life.
What issue did this case address?
Weather requiring students to say a prayer at school was against the first amendment.
What was the issue surrounding this case?
The court agreed to review Gideons case to see if Betts should be reconsidered. Betts v Brady stated that the refusal to appoint counsel in a state court did not violate the Due Process Clause of the 14th amendment.
What issue was being addressed in this case?
Whether the school violated the students right to free speech.
What was the issue in this case?
Weather the freedom of press under the first amendment was being violated by the Nixson administration
What issue was being addressed?
Weather the state law in Wisconsin requiring children to attend school past 8th grade violates parents 1st amendment right to freedom of religion
What was the case ruling.
6-1 in favor of the parents
What was the case holding?
The case ruled in favor of Gideon and Betts v Brady was overruled.
What was the courts desicion?
7-2, ruled in favor of the students.
Who did the court rule in favor of?
6-3, in favor of the New York Times.
What was the case ruling?
Court ruled in favor of the amish families.
What was the reasoning behind the ruling?
They ruled that even though students were allowed to exempt themselves from the prayer, having a law requiring prayer at public schools was still against the first amendment's purpose to separate church and state.
What was the reasoning behind the holding?
The sixth amendment guaranteed council as a fundamental right to a fair trial.
What reason did the court have for its desicion?
Students and teachers rights are still applied at school.
What was the reason for the courts decision?
The court ruled that the Nixson administration violated the first amendment of freedom of the press.
What was the reason for the courts ruling?
Freedom of religion under the first amendment outweighed the states need for children to attend school past 8th grade
What was the opinion on this case?
6 - 1, believe it violated the first amendment
What was the opinion?
The decision was unanimous
What was the opinion of the court?
Most agreed that it did violate the students rights, just because they are at school doesn’t mean their rights are taken away. The opposition argued that the first amendment doesn’t guarantee the right to express your opinion at any time.
What was the opinion?
The US government did not uphold the first amendment.
What was the opinion on this case?
Individual rights were more important than the state law.