Legal Definitions - Amish exception

The Amish Exception is a legal term that refers to an exemption granted to the Amish community from compulsory-school-attendance laws under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. This means that Amish children cannot be forced to attend high school even if they are within the age range of the state's compulsory-attendance law.

The Amish Exception was established in the case of Wisconsin v. Yoder in 1972. The Supreme Court ruled that Amish children could not be compelled to attend high school, as it would violate their religious beliefs and practices. This exemption is very narrowly construed and only applies to Amish children.

For example, if an Amish family lives in a state with a compulsory-attendance law that requires children to attend school until a certain age, the Amish child would be exempt from this law and would not be required to attend school.

It is important to note that the Amish Exception only applies to the Amish community and cannot be extended to non-Amish children. This means that non-Amish children are still required to attend school until they reach the age specified by their state's compulsory-attendance law.