Which case involved Amish parents refusing high school attendance for religious reasons?

• A. Tinker
• B. Bethel Fraser
• C. Wisconsin v. Yoder
• D. Schenck

Answer: (C)

This question tests how courts balance religious freedom with a state's interest in mandatory education. In Wisconsin v. Yoder, Amish parents argued that sending their children to high school after the 8th grade would violate their religious beliefs and disrupt their community’s way of life. The Court held that the Free Exercise Clause allows an exception to compulsory education requirements when enforcing them would seriously burden religious practice. While the state has a strong interest in educating its citizens, that interest isn’t automatically controlling in every situation—especially when the religious community demonstrates that its basic educational and social needs can be met in other ways and when forcing attendance would substantially undermine religious beliefs and family life. The decision thus favors the Amish's religious liberty over the state’s broad aim of universal high school attendance in this particular context. Other cases mentioned involve different First Amendment issues, such as student speech in school or wartime speech, and do not address this specific religious-exemption question.