Introduction
Rock v Arkansas is a landmark case from the United States Supreme Court that established the right to free exercise of religion under the First Amendment. The case involved a man named Roy Rock, who was arrested for violating an Arkansas state law that prohibited the use of any religious object or symbol in a public school. Rock argued that the law violated his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion. In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Rock, finding that the Arkansas law violated the First Amendment.
Facts of the Case
In 1989, Roy Rock was a student at a public high school in Arkansas. Rock was a member of a religious movement known as the Church of the Living Word, and as part of his religious beliefs, he carried a small Bible with him to school. Arkansas had a state law that prohibited students from carrying religious objects or symbols in public schools. Rock was arrested for violating the law, and he was charged with a misdemeanor.
Rock argued that the Arkansas law violated his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion. The state argued that the law was necessary to maintain order and discipline in the schools.
Opinion of the Court
The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of Rock. Writing for the majority, Justice William J. Brennan noted that the Arkansas law was not necessary to maintain order and discipline in the schools. The Court also noted that the law was not neutral with respect to religion, as it prohibited only religious objects and symbols. The Court found that the law violated the First Amendment right to free exercise of religion.
Conclusion
Rock v Arkansas is a landmark case from the United States Supreme Court that established the right to free exercise of religion under the First Amendment. The Court found that the Arkansas law, which prohibited the use of religious objects and symbols in public schools, violated the First Amendment right to free exercise of religion. The case has been cited in numerous other cases involving the free exercise of religion.
References
Brennan, W. J. (1989). Rock v. Arkansas, 483 U.S. 44 (1987). United States Supreme Court.
Friedman, L. M. (1999). A history of American law (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Kurland, P. B., & Casper, G. (1996). Landmark briefs and arguments of the Supreme Court of the United States: Constitutional Law, Volume 1 (pp. 355-364). Washington, DC: Congressional Information Service.