Relevant movements and trends have played a vital role in the progression of religion in the schools. The origin of school prayer has been in deliberation since the early 1900’s when schools routinely opened up the day with an oral prayer. Legal controversy in the development of prayer in the school system did not come into existence until 1948 when the United States Supreme Court made a ruling against religious instruction in McCollum v. Board of Education. The legality of prayer started to evolve in 1955 when the Board of Regents in New York created a prayer that was recommended but not required for school systems. On August 10, 1995, the Department of Education distributed a memo to all United States public school superintendents explaining that students could say a prayer before meals, tests, and in informal settings students could pray in cafeterias and hallways. A minute of silence or what is now called the Moment of Silence came about in the 1980’s as a way for students and staff to start the day with meditation or prayer that would prove to be constitutional.
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August of 1892 by a Christian Socialist named Francis Bellamy. The original words in the pledge were “I pledge allegiance to my flag” and made no mention of God. It was not until 1923 and 1924 that the National Flag Conference altered the wording to “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America” in spite of disapproval from Francis Bellamy. The 77th Congress in June of 1942 passed an eight-section act that acknowledged the Pledge and allowed for the Pledge to be read as “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Congress passed a bill in 1954 that added the phrase “under God” and President Eisenhower endorsed it. Prior to December 1942 students saluted the flag with their arm extended out in to form a straight arm salute. After December 1942, Congress eliminated the arm motion as it resembled the Nazi salute. The salute was replaced by placing the right hand over the heart.
The United States observance of religious holidays stems from cultural history, patriarchs, and religious traditions. Although the United States Supreme Court has made not any specific rulings on religious holidays, school systems are left to establish their own guidelines. However, in Florey v. Sioux Falls School District, the Supreme Court did allow for a lower court decision to stand recognizing that religious holidays are constitutional if secular instruction is provided instead of advocating one religion.