Minersville School District V Gobitis Research Paper

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In Minersville Pennsylvania, Lillian Gobitis a 12 year old and her brother William a 10 year old were expelled from school for refusing to salute the national flag. They are Jehovah’s Witness and believed that saluting the flag is a form of idol worship, and a direct violation of the second commandment in the Bible. The local board of education required both teachers and pupils to participate in the ceremony. William wrote a letter to the school board saying “I do not salute the flag because I have promised to do the will of God.” The school board did not change their mind and left them expelled. The Gobitis family was physically attacked and their family grocery store was boycotted. This caused great financial strain as the family faced the cost of sending the two children to private school. Their father sued on behalf of the children, saying the district’s policy violated his children’s religious freedom. In 1940, the Supreme Court ruled on William’s case, Minersville School District v. Gobitis. They ruled that public schools could compel students to salute the American flag and recite the pledge of allegiance despite the students religious objections to these practices.This decision led to increased persecution of witnesses in the U.S. …show more content…

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