Wisconsin v yoder
9
WISCONSIN V. YODER The 1971 Supreme Court Case of Presented by Angela Marburger
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Following is a compelling statement made in support of the Amish during the Supreme Court Case of Wisconsin v Yoder. Attorney William Ball, in part, stated: The Amish people are great achievers. They have been in the education business for the last 300 years. They're the finest natural farmers in the Western Hemisphere. To see these people in action, you would find young men who are heads of families, managers of large farms, and experts in husbandry. You would find in their women, very model women, managers of households, very fine people. It's quite surprising that these people would be singled out as not having an education, singled out as denying their people an education. For 300 years these people have done superbly, and have performed very well in our society (oyez.org).
Transcript of Wisconsin v yoder
WISCONSIN V. YODER
The 1971 Supreme Court Caseof
Presented by Angela Marburger
• In 1968, three Amish families sued the state of Wisconsin in disagreement with the law that required children to be enrolled in school until the age of 16.
• The Amish prefer their children to be removed from school after completing
the 8th grade.
• Concern arose that children with only an 8th grade education would not be prepared to meet the demands of
adult life.
• The State of Wisconsin asserted its duty by enforcing compulsory education up to the age of 16.
Amish reasoning for removing children from school after completion of the 8th grade:
By the 8th grade, the Amish believe they are sufficiently educated to suit their simple lifestyles.
Beyond the 8th grade, the Amish are educated in vocations that are directly essential to their way of life.
The Amish are especially concerned about the outside worldly influences that can
affect youths during the teen years.
Comparison of Worldly Values vs. Amish Values
MAINSTREAM SOCIETY THE AMISH
Competitiveness Fast-paced,
scheduled lifestyle Ostentation Materialism Selfishness Use of technology to
make life easier
Cooperation & Patience
Slow-Paced lifestyle
Humility Utilitarianism Community Rejection of time- and
labor-saving technologies
Some compelling remarks from the Defense Attorney
In 1972 The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of Yoder with the following reasoning:
1. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution upholds freedom of religion;
2. The qualities emphasized in higher education are contrary to the values that the Amish hold;
3. The court determined that the two additional years of schooling the Amish children would lack would not make much of a difference to their overall knowledge and to their ability to become self-sustaining adults.
This case brings up some questions:
1. Do the Amish children have a right to decide whether or not they would like to remain in school beyond the 8th grade?
2. What impact has the outcome of Wisconsin v. Yoder had on Americans since the 1972 ruling?
