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Minersville School District v. Gobitis
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| Minersville School District v. Gobitis | |
| Court | Supreme Court of the United States |
|---|---|
| Citation | |
| Date decided | June 3, 1940 |
| Overturned by | |
| West Virginia v. Barnette | |
Facts
Walter Gobitis was a Jehovah's Witness with two school children in the 1930s.
Minersville Area School District was a largely Roman Catholic town in Pennsylvania in the 1930s.
The school superintendent expels the 2 Gobitis school children for failing to salute the American flag.Procedural History
A legal counsel from the Jehovah's Witnesses group filed a lawsuit in federal district court on behalf of the Gobitis family. Gobitis contended that his free excercise clause and from from cruel & unusual punishment (under the 8th Amendment) had been violated.
Holding
A mandatory flag salute is constitutional.
Comments
West Virginia v. Barnette (1943) overturns Gobitis.
