Amish Schools
Amish are a sect of conservative Christians living in farming communities in rural areas across the United States. The religion first came to the United States when church followers emigrated from Europe to Pennsylvania to escape religious persecution. They lead a "plain" lifestyle almost completely independent of the rest of the world by farming their own food and making their own clothing while shunning nearly all modern conveniences, including electricity and automobiles. The Amish have their own school system to protect their children from being exposed to outside influences and behaviors.
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History
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While most children in the United States are required to attend school until they've reached the age of 16, the Amish only attend until they've finished the eighth grade. In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that forcing children of the community to attend school past that point was a violation of their first and 14th amendment rights. Schools are privately run by the Amish community who send an application to the state detailing the school's location and promising that it will operate for at least 180 days per year, which is the federal requirement.
Curriculum
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Schooling begins with the first grade and goes through the eighth, with all children learning together in one room. English is the primary language for instruction but children also study a dialect of German, which is often spoken in their homes. Students learn basic educational skills, including reading, writing, math and simple geography. Amish values are stressed, with an emphasis on obedience and thinking in terms of the whole community rather than the individual. A local school board of parents selects teachers, who are usually unmarried young women who have shown a strong dedication to the Amish lifestyle and religion.
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Vocational Skills
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Much of the Amish lifestyle takes place on the family farm, so education for Amish children expands well beyond the classroom. Children begin learning how to do farm chores and household tasks at a young age and are taught more complex jobs as they grow so that when they've finished their classroom schooling, they'll be prepared to work with the family each day. Many Amish families produce goods, such as hand-built furniture, which is sold to other families or to outsiders. Children learn these trades as well, either from their parents or from other community members.
Higher Education
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The Amish do not present their children with the option of continuing schooling past the eighth grade at an institution outside of the community, nor do they offer further opportunities for academic learning at home. Higher education is believed to be worldly and community leaders fear that young people who obtain additional education will be pulled away from the church and will eventually lose their chance at salvation. Amish teenagers are expected to confirm their faith in a baptism ceremony, after they have had the chance to go into the outside world and experience things that typical teenagers experience: driving a car, shopping at a mall, even drinking or recreational drug use. Should they choose to return to the community, they agree to follow the rules laid out by the church, including limiting future education, or else risk being permanently cut off by their families and friends.
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References
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