Veronica Esparza
Case Essay : Part II
Town of Greece v. Galloway 572 U.S. (2014). The town of Greece, New York, started each of its monthly town Council meetings with a prayer given by a volunteer pastor. The prayers given at the beginning of these Council meetings were a general invocation of “God’s” blessing to all. The Council meetings were conducted by a 5 member town board to discuss official business, and were attended by many people, including those of different organizations. Two women who are a part of the freedom from religion foundation, opposed these legislative prayers, and this created the Town of Greece v. Galloway case. The Establishment Clause is at the heart of this case, and it is battling a controversial topic, that has had a …show more content…
Here, we will discuss the history, facts, arguments from each side, and the ruling to this case. This case had been brought to the city in 2013, by two women who were represented by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.; Susan Galloway, who is Jewish, and Linda Stephens, who is an Atheist. They were suing with claims of violation toward the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, by preferring christianity over other faiths int the prayer, and endorsing it. Legislative prayer has been a part of the Town of Greece, New York’s, Council meeting for over a decade. Throughout the city’s Council meetings, these prayers were given to solemnly lift the spirits of those who are attending the meetings and making the critical decisions for the town. With this issue, the Court had to look at the landmark case of Marsh v. Chambers, in 1983. In this case, SCOTUS held Nebraska legislatures practice of beginning its sessions with a prayer by a chaplain who was paid by the state did not violate