What does the Establishment Clause prohibit?

The Establishment Clause, part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, specifically prohibits the government from endorsing or favoring any religion over others. This means that the government is not allowed to create laws or policies that would give preferential treatment to a particular religion or to religion in general, thereby maintaining a separation between church and state.

The rationale behind this clause is to ensure that individuals have the freedom to practice their religion without government influence or coercion, while also preventing the government from imposing any specific religious beliefs on its citizens. Choices that suggest individuals practicing their religion or expressions of religion in public schools may be regulated by other legal standards, but they do not directly fall under the prohibition established by the Establishment Clause. Similarly, while the government may not interfere in religious matters, it's the endorsement or promotion of religion that the Establishment Clause primarily targets, making the correct answer distinct and well-founded in constitutional law.