From the Cleveland Plain Dealer: The federal Bureau of Prisons is forcing some imprisoned members of an Ohio Amish community to study for high school equivalency certificates in violation of their First Amendment rights, a lawyer for the sect contends.
Lawyer Edward Bryan, who represents imprisoned Amish bishop Samuel Mullet, said Friday he intends to write a letter of protest to prison officials cite a U.S. Supreme Court decision that found Amish children could not be forced to attend school past 8th grade.
"It's a legitimate purpose and an honorable thing to rehabilitate prisoners by requiring them to obtain their GEDs," Bryan told The Plain Dealer. "But you have to make exceptions, especially for religious reasons."
Chris Burke, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, declined to comment about Bryan's assertions. But he provided the newspaper with the prison's written rules governing education of inmates.
The high-school equivalency curriculum instructs inmates in basic reading, math and written expression, according to the rules, and is the "first step toward adequate preparation for successful post-release reintegration into society." ....
Exceptions to participation in the program are limited to inmates who have emotional, mental or physical impediments or who face deportation.
All of the Amish inmates are being compelled to receive high-school equivalency lessons against their will, Bryan said. If they refuse, they are being threatened with discipline, up to and including solitary confinement.
That offends Cleveland attorney Terry Gilbert, a veteran of First Amendment battles in federal court.
"Even the Guantanamo prison inmates who are being held with the fewest rights of any defendants in American history are being afforded more religious freedoms than these Amish inmates," Gilbert said. "The rules are clear that unless there is a security problem or a violation of the rights of other inmates that the Bureau of Prisons should respect their religious freedom."
Gilbert predicted the Bureau of Prisons will back down after Bryan complains. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/05/amish_bishop_samuel_mullet_opp.html#incart_river
So, an illegal immigrant doesn't have to take classes but the Amish are forced to despite their religious beliefs.
Muslims, Jewish and other groups can get special food because of their religious beliefs.
But the Amish are forced to accept a curriculum that is contrary to their religious beliefs.
The world is all screwed up.
At the Prairie Café...
6 hours ago
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