ame more neutralized with regards to religious education as it strived to be acceptable to all citizens. In response to this, private school enrollment continued to increase until it peaked in the mid-1960's (at about thirteen percent of the student population) (Doerr 48). Their downward turnaround began with the U.S. Supreme Court's involvement in the issue of prayer in the classroom.
Until 1962 and 1963, eastern and southern states tended to require daily group prayers and/or Bible readings in school. Lawsuits in several states brought by parents and students led to the Supreme Court's ruling in the "Engel" and "Schempp" decisions which stated:
"...government-mandated or -sponsored devotions are incompatible with the religious neutrality required of public schools by the First Amendment clause barring laws `re
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