Legal Cases Assignment
Melodie Penland
YOUT 350: Campus Ministry
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Summary
In the Plyler v. Doe case, a Texas law allowed public schools to deny children if they were not
legally allowed to be in the United States. This law also mentioned charging families of
undocumented children to compensate for the lack of state funding. There was a group of
families that challenged the Texas state law. The families said that denying their children
education violated their constitutional rights. The main thing in question was the fourteenth
amendment, that says the equal protection clause was violated. The Supreme Court decided that
education is viewed as a fundamental right; therefore, the state of Texas violated these students'
rights.
Introduction- Case # 1
Examining the legal background of court cases helps to provide valuable insight for those
wishing to minister on a college campus. Trying to navigate these principles while staying true to
one's faith can be challenging. The first case that caught my attention is the Plyler v. Doe case. I
have lived in Texas my whole life, and this is an ongoing issue.
Personal Response
Education is essential for personal development, such as social, economic, and financial. Being
provided a primary education is imperative to growing as a person and hoping to allow a student
to contribute to society positively. Not allowing the children to attend school would harm the
child and the community. "By denying these children a basic education, we deny them the ability
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Summary
The court case is about a high school football coach named Joseph Kennedy. The coach would
pray after a game on the field on his own, but sometimes other players would join in. At first, this
was allowed until the school district told him to quit doing it. He quit the prayers before the
game with the whole team but continued to do his private prayer time. Coach Joseph Kennedy
to live within the structure of our civic institutions and foreclose any realistic possibility that
they will contribute in even the smallest way to the progress of our Nation."1
Ministry Implications/Conclusion
Students should not be discriminated against based on things they cannot control. We should
not care about people's immigration status when reaching people with the gospel. As
Christians, we should support all people regardless of their nationality or status as
undocumented people. "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat
them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as
yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 19:33-34)
Introduction- Case # 2
Romans 13:1 tells us that we should submit to the governing authorities by following the laws of
the land. This next case makes that challenging when a person's religious freedom is at stake.
The Kennedy v. Bremerton School District is not the first case, but it is a recent one that went all
the way to the Supreme Court. This case centered around the First Amendment and the rights of
a public school district employee.
1 Brennan, William J., Jr, and Supreme Court Of The United States. U.S. Reports: Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202. 1981.
Periodical. https://www.loc.gov/item/usrep457202/.
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Ministry Implication/Conclusion
The Kennedy v. Bremerton School District case raises important questions that help balance
religious freedom while also trying to remain neutral in a public-school setting. The main issue
revolved around the high school football coach, Joseph Kennedy, and the result of his religious
was fired but sued the school district and argued that he was exercising his right to freedom of
religion. The school thought he violated the separation of church and state. The school did not
want it to seem like the coach or school was endorsing religion of any kind. The Supreme Court
ruled in the coach's favor. 2Gorsuch said that any rule forbidding teachers from engaging in any
religious speech would "be a sure sign that our Establishment Clause jurisprudence had gone off
the tracks" and was suppressing religious liberty rather than protecting it.3"
Personal Response
I have always been a rule follower, especially in a school setting. As a Christian, I find this court
case encouraging, although I am sure it was difficult for the coach. The football coach stood up
for what he believed in, and the court agreed with his freedom to express his spirituality by
private praying. Even though this case when in favor of the coach, no one can take away our
personal prayer time. You may not be able to do things publicly in a school setting, but you can
always pray regardless of where you are or the time of day. There may be limitations because of
a public-school setting, but you can still reflect Christian values to others. I value the right to
express my beliefs, but I also understand that many have diverse beliefs.
2 Vile, John R. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, June 22, 2022. https://www.mtsu.edu/first-
amendment/article/2137/kennedy-v-bremerton-school-district#:~:text=Bremerton.-,In%20Kennedy%20v.,yard
%20line%20afte r%20a %20game .
3 Supreme Court of the United States, October 2021. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21-
418_i425.pdf.
Personal Response
The Tinker v. Des Moines case made me admire young people willing to stand up for their
beliefs even when they risk getting in trouble. This court case made me think of 1 Peter 5:9,
Introduction- Case # 3
The last case raised important questions regarding students' rights to free speech while on a
school campus. The main question in the Tinker v. Des Moines case was if the school's policy,
including the suspension, violated the student's constitutional rights.
expression at a football game. He made a lasting impact by standing his ground and sticking
to his beliefs.
Summary of Case
Three students wore black armbands to their schools as a silent demonstration against the
Vietnam War. The choice to wear the armbands resulted in their suspension, which led to a legal
battle that reached the Supreme Court. The children and their families suggested that the school
district violated the student's rights by taking away their free speech as protected by the first
amendment. "The Court held that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of
speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate4." The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the student's
right to express themselves. Schools can enforce some regulations on forms of students'
expressions if they would impact the learning environment. This court case set a precedent for
students' rights to express themselves in public schools.
4 Jr., David L. Hudson. Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 2009.
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/694/tinker-v-des-moines-independent-community-school-district.
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Bibliography
Ministry Implication/Conclusion
Considering Christian beliefs, sometimes holding strong to your beliefs may mean standing
alone or, in this court case, a few people. Jesus was the perfect example of standing firm in a
nonviolent way. His teachings encouraged us to live in harmony with others by showing
compassion and Christian love. Christian students can express themselves while still remaining
respectful and Christ-like. There is an interesting balance between free speech rights and keeping
order in a public-school setting.
where believers are told to stand firm in their faith. The teen and college years are significant
times of expression and growth. I see nothing wrong with their desire to protest the Vietnam War
silently. It should have been viewed as a way to raise awareness of an issue, but it was seen as
going against the grain. I also see the issue of respecting authority, especially in a school setting.
Students should be allowed to express themselves if it does not cause harm or disrupt the
learning environment.
Brennan, William J., Jr, and Supreme Court Of The United States. U.S. Reports: Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202. 1981.
Periodical. https://www.loc.gov/item/usrep457202/.
Jr., David L. Hudson. Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 2009.
https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/694/tinker-v-des-moines-independent-community-school-district.
Supreme Court of the United States, October 2021. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/21-
418_i425.pdf.
Vile, John R. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, June 22, 2022. https://www.mtsu.edu/first-
amendment/article/2137/kennedy-v-bremerton-school-district#:~:text=Bremerton.-,In%20Kennedy%20v.,yard
%20line%20afte r%20a %20game .
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