Engle vs. Vitale (1962): Religion and the Schools

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9-In-depth coverage of two Supreme Court decisions of interest to young people because they both dealt with students. Joseph and Daniel Roth were Jewish young men opposed to being forced to pray every morning in a New York public school. After a long battle, the Supreme Court declared the use of the prayer in class unconstititutional. Although similar in coverage to Carol Haas's Engel v. Vitale (Enslow, 1994), this offering gives more detailed information. In 1964, 15-year-old Gerald Gault was committed to the Arizona reform school for six years for making an obscene phone call. If he had been an adult, he would have gotten a maximum sentence of two months in jail, a $50 fine, or both. Before this case was tried, there were many inequalities and abuses in juvenile sentencing. Both books have a similar easy-to-use format. They provide succinct overviews of the cases and related incidents throughout history. They are clearly written and well organized. Legal terms are explained in the texts. The authors give enough detail to cover the topic without being overwhelming to those with no background in these areas. Black-and-white photographs of the people involved bring the cases to life, while political cartoons further enhance the presentations. A comprehensive index makes these titles useful for reports. They make the point that the decision did not end the debate about these highly charged social and political issues.-Sandra L. Doggett, Urbana High School, Walkersville, MD