8.3 FRQ

Deborah Weisman graduated from Nathan Bishop Middle School, a public school in Providence, at a formal ceremony in June 1989. For several years the school board and superintendent followed a policy permitting principals to invite members of the clergy to give invocations and benedictions at middle school and high school graduations. Some of the principals decided to include prayers as part of the graduation ceremonies.


A rabbi was invited by Principal Robert Lee to deliver the prayer at Weisman’s graduation ceremony, and he was given guidelines recommending that public prayers at nonsectarian civic ceremonies be composed with “inclusiveness and sensitivity” (Lee v. Weisman). Deborah Weisman’s parents sued Principal Lee to prevent the rabbi from speaking at the graduation ceremony. In this case the Supreme Court ruled that schools could not sponsor even non-denominational prayers.

Identify the constitutional provision that is common to both Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Lee v. Weisman (1992).

Based on the constitutional clause identified in part A, explain how the facts in Lee v. Weisman and the facts in Engel v. Vitale led to similar decisions.

Describe an action a student could take in an effort to limit the impact of the ruling in Lee v. Weisman.