The ruling in Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) is significant because it established a critical test for determining whether a law violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing an official religion. This case involved a challenge to state laws in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island that provided financial aid to religious schools for secular educational purposes.

Key Points of the Ruling:

1. Establishment Clause: The Supreme Court ruled that government funding for religious schools must meet certain criteria to ensure that it does not endorse or promote religion.

2. Lemon Test: The Court articulated what is now known as the Lemon Test, which has three prongs:

   • The government's action must have a secular purpose.
   • The principal or primary effect of the action must neither advance nor inhibit religion.
   • The action must not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.

3. Impact on Education: This ruling affected how states could interact with religious schools, leading to increased scrutiny of public funding for religiously affiliated institutions.

4. Legal Precedent: The Lemon Test has been used in numerous cases since then to evaluate the constitutionality of laws concerning the separation of church and state.

Conclusion

The significance of Lemon v. Kurtzman lies in its lasting influence on the interpretation of the Establishment Clause, shaping the legal landscape regarding the relationship between government and religion in the United States.

For more detailed information, you can check the case summary on legal resources like Oyez or other legal databases.