A state law requires that a prayer be said each day in public schools. The courts rule that the law violates a First Amendment clause that prohibits the government from establishing a religion?

The scenario you describe involves a state law that requires a daily prayer in public schools, and the courts ruling that it violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. The Establishment Clause is part of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."

In the context of public schools, the Establishment Clause has been interpreted to mean that government-sponsored or mandated religious activities, including organized prayer, are not permissible because they would amount to government endorsement or establishment of religion. The Supreme Court has issued several decisions regarding prayer in public schools, establishing precedents that guide these matters.

One landmark case related to prayer in public schools is Engel v. Vitale (1962). In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that a state-sponsored prayer in public schools in New York was unconstitutional because it violated the Establishment Clause. The Court held that the state's involvement in composing and encouraging the recitation of the prayer amounted to an impermissible advancement of religion.

Subsequent cases, such as Abington School District v. Schempp (1963) and Lee v. Weisman (1992), further clarified the limitations on religious activities in public schools. These decisions affirmed that organized prayer, even if voluntary, as part of official school activities is generally unconstitutional.

Therefore, in the scenario you describe, where a state law mandates a daily prayer in public schools, the courts would likely rule that it violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. Such a law would be seen as government endorsement of religion, and the courts would likely find it unconstitutional based on the precedent set by previous cases dealing with prayer in public schools.