Two lower Federal courts had declared the graduation prayer unconstitutional under existing law.

That appeared to clash with the Supreme Court's past ruling against clergy offering graduation prayers, and left unclear just where the line is drawn on school-sponsored prayer.

Since the suit began, two lower courts, ruling in the Weismans' favor, have barred mention of a deity in graduation prayers here.

Yesterday's decision said that the school's policy was prohibited by the 1992 ruling, and that "The student referendum does not erase the state's imprint from this graduation prayer."

Student-initiated graduation prayers might be constitutional.

The decision today did not explicitly address graduation ceremonies, but the majority's analysis cast serious doubt on the increasingly popular practice of student-led graduation prayers.

Opponents of the graduation prayers saw a different slippery slope.

For the moment, it is the defenders of graduation prayers who feel the nation is still headed downhill.

Mr. Mincberg said the Court's refusal to hear the case "virtually assures another year of controversy in schools nationwide about the volatile issue of graduation prayer."

The Supreme Court has ruled that graduation prayers led by members of the clergy are unconstitutional, but has not ruled on student-led prayer.