Amish education is very different from public education. The Amish want to give their children the learning they need to earn an honest living and to lead a Christian life. In Amish schools the bible is not taught. The bible is only taught in the homes and churches. Schools do have devotion, prayer and bible readings.
On a typical Amish school day, early in the morning, it’s time to ring the school bell above the Amish schoolhouse. Many of the schools are still one room schoolhouses. Lessons include arithmetic and reading. Also taught is English, spelling, geography, history and health.
The proper education of Amish children was at one time a source of contention. The Amish refused to send their children to public schools. There were many court cases that involved the Amish. In 1965, authorities wanted to close the Amish schools. Siting uncertified teachers as the basis for action. In 1972, there was a United States Supreme Court case, Wisconsin vs Yoder. The case states “Amish object to high school and higher education generally because the values it teaches are in marked variance with the Amish way of life”. Although the the Amish won this case, a minority of parents still send their children to public schools.
Amish schoolhouse teachers are usually only a few years out of school with only a eight grade education. The teachers must be single. The Amish school board hires and sometime fires the teachers. Amish teachers us a magazine called Blackboard Bulletin to help with their teaching.
