Lee v. Weisman (1992) Definition

A U.S. Supreme Court decision ruling that school officials who organized and directed the content of a nonsectarian prayer at an official public school function violated the First Amendment establishment clause.

Justice Kennedy, writing for the Court, focused particularly on the coercive nature of the religious exercise. "[A]t a minimum, the Constitution guarantees that government may not coerce anyone to support or participate in religion or its exercise... ." Lee v. Weisman, 505 U.S. 577, 587 (1992).