Congress, Politics, Books
and American History

C-SPAN Radio airs part two of the oral arguments in Abington, Pennsylvania School District v. Edward Schempp, et al. The case questions the constitutionality of prayer in public schools and freedom of religion. The school district required public school students to read the Bible and recite the Lord's Prayer. Students could be excluded from these exercises by a written note from their parents to the school. The Edward Schempp family filed a law suit that the rule was unconstitutional and violated first amendment. He also said he believed excusing his children from attendance would adversely affect his "children's relationships with their teachers and classmates."