erefore, called for certain amendments to the Constitution; these amendments became the Bill of Rights” (Religion in the United States).The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights (ratified December 15, 1791) specifically dealt with the separation of church and state. It states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”(United States Constitution, First Amendment). Since the educational system became a part of the government, it too was inclined to be religiously impartial. This was no easy task as religion was still the most prominent part of culture. When the First Amendment was adopted, most of the original thirteen colonies had official "established" churches. With the power of the government behind them, these denominations often persecuted the members of various minority religions. Due to the actions of the “established” churches many people came to believe strongly in "disestablishment." Since the First Amendment was often used in application to the “established” churches the First Amendment became synonymous with the Establishment Clause (School Prayer).The dispute between the minority and the “established” religious groups raged on in everyday life but the court settled the argument in the schoolhouse. In 1971, the trial Lemon v Kurtzman established a test to see what elements of government violate the Establishment Clause. The three-part test establishes that the statute must have a secular legislative purpose and its principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion. In addition, the statute must not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion (School Prayer). The first strike from government that put the Lemon laws (separation of church and state) to the test came in 1984 with the Equal Access Act. The EAA gives religious clubs rights equal to those of ...
