Juan_Bottom wrote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_v._YoderThree Amish students from three different families stopped attending New Glarus High School in the New Glarus, Wisconsin school district at the end of the eighth grade, all due to their parents' religious beliefs.
The children's welfare and want weren't even an issue.
Justice William O. Douglas, who dissented in part, wrote:
"I agree with the Court that the religious scruples of the Amish are opposed to the education of their children beyond the grade schools, yet I disagree with the Court's conclusion that the matter is within the dispensation of parents alone. The Court's analysis assumes that the only interests at stake in the case are those of the Amish parents on the one hand, and those of the State on the other. The difficulty with this approach is that, despite the Court's claim, the parents are seeking to vindicate not only their own free exercise claims, but also those of their high-school-age children.... On this important and vital matter of education, I think the children should be entitled to be heard. While the parents, absent dissent, normally speak for the entire family, the education of the child is a matter on which the child will often have decided views. He may want to be a pianist or an astronaut or an oceanographer. To do so he will have to break from the Amish tradition. It is the future of the students, not the future of the parents, that is imperiled by today's decision. If a parent keeps his child out of school beyond the grade school, then the child will be forever barred from entry into the new and amazing world of diversity that we have today. The child may decide that that is the preferred course, or he may rebel. It is the student's judgment, not his parents', that is essential if we are to give full meaning to what we have said about the Bill of Rights and of the right of students to be masters of their own destiny. If he is harnessed to the Amish way of life by those in authority over him and if his education is truncated, his entire life may be stunted and deformed. The child, therefore, should be given an opportunity to be heard before the State gives the exemption which we honor today."
Living in Pennsylvania, we hear a lot about these issues. The truth is that a lot of people have distorted views over what it means to be Amish.
Here, kids are educated until 8th grade, but that's not really a fair comparison to other schools. They have their own schools or are schooled at home in math, reading, writing and the Bible. They learn a little history, not much science. (though most live on or near farms and so do know animal and crop basics).
BUT, and this is key, as you mentioned. Around 16 they have the choice to stay or leave. They get sent off for roughly a year to "explore the world". Boys and girls do this. Only after are they allowed to be baptized. How strictly all these traditions are followed varies. Down south, kids are not allowed to play with non-Amish kids. Here, kids will sometimes play with neighbor kids, wives will visit, but just with a few restrictions. The kids will play baseball, swing, but not video games. Amish around here have cell phones, but for "business only" (and emergencies). Some even have computers. A few Amish do drive, but mostly they hire others to drive them.
But, kids who try to leave often find themselves in a world for which they are simply not prepared.
I read an interview with an old timer from Lancaster that sticks with me. he said that they tried letting their kids go to high school, but it failed. If they let the kids go to high school, it was harder to get them to come back and "shovel manure". (his words) Essentially, ot me, that means the kids really and truly are not being give a choice, because if they are shown other opportunities, they don't come back. However, kids are notorious for not being able to fully think things through. So, you could argue that, much like the McDonald's toys, thrusting teens into this new world is just too enticing. The kids "decide" without really understanding the full consequences yet.
But, on the other side.. if that is true, then the kids also do not have the capacity to decide to be Amish at that point, either.
In the end, much of what we do, particularly the way we educate our kids, shapes our kids in ways both good and bad, but that choice has always been left up to parents. With schooling, the real issue is less of freedom and more impact to society.
One reason the Amish are given such freedom is because they don't vote, they have, historically set themselves apart from "regular" society in many ways. As they come to interact more.. moving into construction trades, for example, instead of "just" farming, conflicts are happening more and more. While Amish are generally respected and seen as "good neighbors" here, there is some resentment that they are able to have 16 year olds working, are able to not pay minimum wages, etc. They can offer much cheaper prices on construction than many contractors. And, they generally do good work. (though the stereotype doesn't always hold true, there are "shoddy" Amish workers, too).