Posts by Saloma Furlong
November Transitions
Thirty-five years ago tonight my life changed irrevocably. At this time of the night that many years ago, I had just donned my first “English” clothes, had the first haircut in my life; and I was about to be driven to the train station to take a night train out of Cleveland. Thirty-two years ago…
Read MoreThe Amish Descendent Scholarship Fund
Lately I’ve been realizing that it is time to reach out to others who are embarking on the journey of leaving the Amish, which I made more than thirty years ago. I am especially moved to do so when a young woman, who just left her very strict community, stepped into my life. The gap…
Read MoreThe Ramifications of Wisconsin v. Yoder, Conclusion
This is the conclusion of my paper The Ramifications of Wisconsin v. Yoder. I have bolded the compelling arguments, as before. If the Supreme Court had required the Amish to educate their children through tenth grade, the Amish may have found a creative way of integrating this education into their communities, rather than send their…
Read MoreThe Ramifications of Wisconsin v. Yoder, Part 4
Here is another segment of my paper. I have put in bold the arguments I find the most compelling. Professor Joel Feinberg assessed this case. Like Justice Heffernan, he understood the intricacies involved. First he acknowledged the case for the exemption: The case for the exemption was a strong one. The Amish sincerity is beyond…
Read MoreThe Ramifications of Wisconsin v. Yoder, Part 3
Professor Feinberg pointed out that American courts have long held that the state has a “sovereign power of guardianship” over minors, which confers upon it the right, or perhaps even the duty, to look after the interests of those who are incapable of protecting themselves. After all, compulsory education laws are designed to end child…
Read MoreThe Ramifications of Wisconsin v. Yoder, Part 2
Below is part two of my paper about the Wisconsin v. Yoder case. I’ve highlighted in bold those arguments I find most compelling. Oddly, it is the parents’ religious freedom Justice Hallows is aiming to protect, but the youth, who cannot speak for themselves, are left without advocates for protection of their religious (and educational)…
Read MoreThe Ramifications of Wisconsin v. Yoder, Part 1
Of all the questions I get at my book talks, none will get a more passionate response than when someone asks about Amish and why they limit their education to eight grades. Many people are under the impression that education is limited for girls only, but in this case the deprivation is equally shared between…
Read MoreIn Our Backyard
There is no surer sign of the seasons changing than that of birds migrating. David and I have had the privilege of living in homes on migratory routes. Once, while we were living in Fairfax, Vermont, we had our windows open for the first time in early June. At supper, I heard birds that were…
Read MoreAutumn Memories and Pumpkin Pie
My house smells like autumn right now. I made my first pumpkin pie of the season today. I took the recipe off my own website and realized when I tasted the pie filling that I had adapted a two-pie recipe to one, all except for the molasses — Drats! When everything is right, pumpkin pie…
Read MoreCan you Spell “Inauthentic”?
I’ve been asked, over the past several weeks, what I think of the reality television series Breaking Amish. I always answer the same thing, “I don’t watch television, and I cannot imagine that this show is all that “real” or authentic. It would be the first reality show about the Amish that ever was. And…
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