Which amendment issue is central in Wisconsin v. Yoder?

• A. The First Amendment free exercise of religion
• B. The First Amendment freedom of speech
• C. The Fourth Amendment search and seizure
• D. The Fourteenth Amendment due process

Answer: (A)

The question tests understanding of how religious freedom protected by the First Amendment can override a general state rule. In Wisconsin v. Yoder, the Court faced a Wisconsin requirement that children attend school through age 16. Amish families argued that sending their children to school beyond the eighth grade violated their religious beliefs and way of life. The Court held that the Free Exercise Clause protects sincere religious beliefs and practices from government burdens, and in this case the state’s interest in universal education did not outweigh the Amish parents’ religious obligations. The decision applied a stringent review of the state’s interest and concluded that compelling education beyond eighth grade was not necessary to achieve the state’s goals given the Amish community’s circumstances. This case is a foundational example of how religious exercise can receive exemptions from generally applicable laws.