Education V. Barnette Case

781 Words2 Pages

West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnett The West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette Case in March 11, 1943 created much controversy throughout the United States. This case questioned whether a flag salute law for school children violated the First, the right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. In 1941 the West Virginia State Board of Education made it a mandatory action for all students to salute the American flag at the beginning of each school day and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If students did not cooperate it would lead to harsh punishment (findlaw). The background information is extremely important in this case. West Virginia required students and teachers to take part in the saluting of the flag during the beginning of each school day as part of the educational process. A specific part of the day would be dedicated to saluting the flag and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. If they did not, their guardians could be fined and/or jailed and could be prosecuted for generating delinquency. Children of Jehovah's Witnesses had been expelled from school because of their refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Officials threatened to send them to Juvenile Detention Centers (findlaw). The “stiff arm” was a requirement that was meant they had to keep the right hand …show more content…

The State should have not made it a mandatory procedure in public schools. They did not have the right to do so because of what the Constitution states. The Supreme Court made is very clear what the violations were and why the State was wrong and why the State lost the case. For a state government to not allow freedom of speech is illegal and violates the Bill of Rights. I agree with the verdict of the Supreme Court because what the government of Virginia did was disgraceful and contradicts the United States

Open Document