Twenty-five states had laws allowing “optional” Bible reading, with the remainder having no laws supporting or rejecting Bible reading. Like four other states, Pennsylvania introduced a statute compelling school districts to perform Bible readings in the mornings before class.

Yet, as early as 1890, many states were rolling back mandates of state sponsored devotional exercises in the classroom. Most were convinced, or at least ignorant of information to the contrary, that the United States was a nation founded on Christian principles.

Although many must have disagreed with local school districts conducting organized prayers and Bible readings, a surprisingly small number expressed objection in an obtrusive manner until well into the twentieth century. Schempp’s very questioning of prayer in school illuminated the metamorphosis society was undergoing. Board of Education comprised important precedents drawn on by the majority in reaching a decision in Abington v. Seminal church-state cases like Cantwell v. In jurisprudence spanning the previous two decades, the Supreme Court increasingly applied greater portions of the Bill of Rights to the states in light of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. This case raised thorny constitutional and social issues like no other case preceding it. Schempp was the impetus of perhaps the most vituperative debate regarding religion and its place in our school system up to that time. Īlthough certainly not the first case involving religious expression to reach the Supreme Court, Abington Township School District v. Consolidated with a similar Maryland case launched by renowned atheist Madalyn Murray, the Supreme Court handed down a controversial 8-1 decision in favor of Schempp (and Murray). Consequently, Abington Township School District appealed to the Supreme Court. Schempp took the case to court again, charging the alteration did not change the unconstitutional nature of a measure which promoted Christianity at state expense. Īfter losing at the federal district court level, Pennsylvania lawmakers added a provision to the statute allowing students, with parental consent, to opt out of the religious exercises in hopes of placating Edward Schempp. In fact, this case is vilified as one that “kicked God and prayer out of the schools.” With its watershed decision in June of that year, the Court found for an Abington Township Unitarian who pursued litigation to purge a 1949 Pennsylvania state law providing for mandatory devotional Bible reading in public schools statewide. In February 1963, the Supreme Court of the United States heard a First Amendment case which would forever change the way Americans viewed the Court and the value given religion by the highest magistrate in the land. Schempp: The Day God Was Kicked Out of School Cale L. The more diverse, the higher the score.Abington Township School District v. Occupation diversity score ranges from 0 to 100. The Occupation Diversity score in Abington township, Pennsylvania is 57.2. Other services, except public administration Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management servicesĮducational services, health care, and social assistanceĪrts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services Transportation and warehousing, and utilitiesįinance and insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing IndustryĪgriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining Industry diversity score ranges from 0 to 100. The Industry Diversity score in Abington township, Pennsylvania is 64.1. 53.3 % of residents work in Management, business, science, and arts occupations, while only 6.1% work in Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations. The top industry present in Abington township, Pennsylvania is Educational services, health care, and social assistance. Industry and Occupation in Abington township, Pennsylvania