Engel v. Vitale deals primarily with which constitutional clause?

Engel v. Vitale primarily deals with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. This landmark Supreme Court case addressed the issue of whether a voluntary school-sponsored prayer, composed by the New York State Board of Regents, violated this clause. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or unduly favoring one religion over another.

In Engel v. Vitale, the Court ruled that the school's practice of encouraging recitation of the prayer, even if voluntary and non-denominational, represented an unconstitutional endorsement of religion within a public school setting. The decision emphasized the principle of separation of church and state, illustrating the heightened scrutiny applied to government activities that could be interpreted as promoting or endorsing religious practices.

This case serves as a critical precedent regarding the interpretation of the Establishment Clause and its implications for religious activities in public institutions. The focus on maintaining religious neutrality in public schools is a key takeaway from Engel v. Vitale, underlining the need for governmental entities to refrain from promoting or facilitating religious practices in contexts that could influence students.