Supreme Court Cases Engle vs. Vitale Case: In the late 1950's the New York State Board of Regents wrote and adopted a prayer, which was supposed to be nondenominational. The board recommended that students in public schools say the prayer on a voluntary basis every morning. In New Hyde Park Long Island a parent sued the school claiming that the prayer violated the first amendment of the constitution. The school argued that the prayer was …showed first 75 words of 2721 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2721 total…and were suspended. Mr. and Mrs. Tinker filed suit claiming that the school violated the children's right to freedom of speech and expression. The school claimed that the armbands were disruptive. Constitutional issue it relates to: Freedom of Speech Decision: The court ruled against the school district saying, "students do not shed their constitutional rights at the school house gates. In doing so the court protected what has come to be known as "symbolic speech."