Beruflich Dokumente
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Artifact #6
Wyatt A. Reid
Karen White, a kindergarten teacher, had recently converted the religion of Jehovah’s
Witness. Her newfound religion forbids her from doing things like celebrate birthdays and
celebrate Christmas. She told her students and parents that she would no longer be participating
in activities like gift exchanges or reciting the pledge of allegiance in the classroom. She was
dismissed by her school for not meeting the needs of her students. The question at hand is
The first case in support of Karren is Minersville School District v. Board of Education
(1940). In this case two students denied reciting the pledge of allegiance based on religion. The
Court found that the students should not have to be compelled to recite the pledge of allegiance.
They and their parents were good citizens and had not displayed any lack of allegiance to the
United States of America. Similarly, Karren White is a good citizen. She should not have to be
The next case in defense of Karren is Edwards v. Aguillard (1987). This is a case where a
law in Louisiana was in place that said that if evolution was taught in schools, then “Creation
Science” should be in schools too. The court found that schools cannot be required to teach
“Creation Science” because it was religious in nature. In the view of Karren White and the
Jehovah’s Witnesses the thing that she is refusing to do are religious in nature and she should not
The first case in support of her dismissal is Epperson v. Arkansas (1968). In this case the
state of Arkansas passed a law that prohibited the teaching of evolution in its schools. The court
found that the state has no legitimate interest in protecting any religion from views that they see
as distasteful. Just because Karren White and her religion found these things distasteful, that does
The next case in favor of the school is Florey v. Sioux Falls School Dist. (1980). In this
case the schools were participating in Christmas singing. Florey filed suit and said that these
songs were religious and violated the first amendment. The courts found that although religious
the purpose of this singing was more cultural than religious and therefore can be continued in
schools. This helps the school because even actions that that a person can take religious
connotation out of, if they are for cultural learning they can be allowed.
In conclusion, I see that the dismissal of Karren White should be upheld. She will lose
her case based on the decisions of Florey v. Sioux Falls School Dist. (1980) and Epperson v.
Arkansas (1987). She cannot refuse to do reasonable activities just because she sees them as
religious in nature. The board was justified for the dismissal of Karren White.
Artifact #6 Religion and Public Schools 4
References
EDWARDS v. AGUILLARD 482 U.S. 578 (1987). Retrieved October 21, 2017.
https://www.leagle.com/decision/19871060482us57811037
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1968/7
FLOREY v. SIOUX FALLS SCHOOL DIST. 619 F.2d 1311 (1980). Retrieved October 21,
2017. https://www.leagle.com/decision/19801930619f2d131111731
MINERSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT v. BOARD OF EDUCATION (No. 690) 310 U.S. 586.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/310/586
Artifact #6 Religion and Public Schools 5