Wallace v. Jaffree

427 U.S. 38 (1985)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

Jaffree (P) filed a complaint on behalf of three of his minor children; two of them were second-grade students, and the third was then in kindergarten. P sought a declaratory judgment and an injunction restraining Wallace (Ds) from maintaining or allowing the maintenance of regular religious prayer services or other forms of religious observances in the Mobile County Public Schools in violation of the First Amendment. P alleged that two of his children had been subjected to various acts of religious indoctrination; that teachers had 'on a daily basis' led their classes in saying certain prayers in unison; that his children were exposed to ostracism from their peer group class members if they did not participate; and that P had repeatedly but unsuccessfully requested that the devotional services be stopped. The District Court dismissed appellees' challenge to the three Alabama statutes because of a failure to state any claim for which relief could be granted. The court's dismissal of this challenge was also based on its conclusion that the Establishment Clause did not bar the States from establishing a religion. The Court of Appeals reversed. The Court of Appeals then held that the teachers' religious activities violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. With respect to § 16-1-20.1 and § 16-1-20.2, the Court of Appeals stated that 'both statutes advance and encourage religious activities.' The Court of Appeals then quoted with approval the District Court's finding that § 161-20.1, and § 16-1-20.2, were efforts ''to encourage a religious activity. The Supreme Court granted review.