Wisconsin v. Yoder | BRI’s Homework Help Series

Read summaries of the majority ruling in landmark Supreme Court cases that have had an impact on our rights as citizens.

In this lesson, students will gain an understanding of how the doctrine of incorporation broadened the application of the First Amendment. They will also gain an understanding of the facts of landmark Establishment Clause Supreme Court cases, evaluate arguments about the scope of the Establishment Clause, and assess the Supreme Court's interpretations of the First Amendment with respect to religion in public schools.

Who wins when religious liberty clashes with a government mandate? This was the question when members of the Amish community fought against a perceived infraction on their religious liberty in Wisconsin in 1971. In this Primary Close Read video, Kirk Higgins and Tony Williams explore a fascinating Supreme Court case: Wisconsin v. Yoder. Were members of the Amish community wrong in wanting to stop their children’s participation in public schools past the eighth grade? Was the government overreaching in trying to force parents to violate their religious conscience?

Use this viewing guide alongside our Homework Help video.