State Historical Society of Iowa

"Religious Rights" Essay from The Goldfinch, February 1987

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Courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, "Religious Rights," The Goldfinch, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 16, February 1987

Description

In Hazelton, Iowa, local school officials tried to force Amish children to board a bus to go to a public school in November 1965. Amish parents protested, and Amish kids scrambled terrified into nearby cornfields. They did not want to attend the public schools. The State of Iowa is responsible for the education of Iowa children. It has a law that says school teachers must be certified and students must attend school until they are 16 years old. Officials closed the Amish school because the teacher was uncertified.

Transcript of "Religious Rights" Essay from The Goldfinch

Source-Dependent Questions

  • Why did the Amish come from Switzerland to the United States?
  • What basis did the Amish have to their right to have separate schools?