The Mennonites should not be convicted for not permitting their children to attend school. They believe, after the eighth grade, the children have established the basic tools of reading, writing, and arithmetic. This allows them to function properly and productive in their society. The First Amendment allows the Mennonites to be justifiable under the Free Exercise Clause. This clause is designed to protect individual's religious beliefs and their practices. The Free Exercise Clause is a preliminary version of the Establishment Clause. It was drafted in response to the Framers' desire to protect members of religious minorities from persecution.
