The problem arose when The New York State Board of Regents authorized a short nondenominational prayer for recitation at the start of each school day. The prayer recognized one's dependence upon God and kids could choose to recite or not. Consequently, a group of parents claimed that the prayer violated the 1rst Amendment.
The Supreme Court in the case Engel v. Vitale determined that states or any institution cannot make any laws that require the exercise of any religious activity as the repetition of a prayer, even if it's voluntarily, because it violated the guarantee of freedom concerning religion stated in the First Amendment.
The decision was significant because the case consolidated the separation between the state and religion protected by the 1st Amendment by stating that any type of public promotion of religion violates the law.
