Let’s be Supreme Court Judges (Justices)- This is a real case that went before the
US Supreme Court. Today you are going to decide what the ruling should be.
Then we will find out if you made the correct decision.
Freedom of Religion
Torcaso v. Watkins, 367 U.S. 488 (1961)
The state of Maryland had a law saying that everyone who wanted a
job in the state government had to swear that he or she believed in God.
A man named Torcaso applied for a job as a government official.
He was denied the job because he would not say that he believed in God.
Mr. Torcaso said that the Maryland law was unconstitutional because it limited his
freedom of religion.
He said that freedom of religion meant the freedom to believe in God or
not to believe in God, as a person wishes
Post your response to the Supreme Court case. Explain what do you think the Supreme Court decided? Why?
I think that they let him get the job even though he did not believe in god
that he had a job because of he did,nt bevile god .
i think the supreme court decided that he wasent allowed to have the job because a lot more people wanted him to not have the job it was 1 aginst a lot of people so he probaly got denide.
i think tarcaso should have gotten the job because that is his belife that he doesint belive in god but meraland said you have to belive in god or you dont get a god but it is a free country he should beable to do what ever he wants to do
he can,t geta job because of he did,nt be god .
The supreme court probably wanted him to have the job but they denied him because there was a law that you had to believe in god to get that job and they didn’t want to disobey it/ Unconstitutional
i think the did give him the job because he reminded them that everyone can believe in who they want to believe in
I think the supreme court decited that he should get the job because you have the right not to belive in god.
I think that the supreme judges declined the job because this was a law in the state that he wanted the job. But he should of got the job because the law in the state limits his freedoms mabey freedom in the most part.
I think the supreme did not allow him to have the job.I think this because the supreme court are not willing to change the law.
I think he should not be denied because of his beliefs.Also this is almost like racism.
I believe that Tarcaso has the right to say that he does not believe in god. I Maryland there is a law that anybody who wanted a job in the state government you had to swear that you believed in god. Tarcaso and the rest of the US has the freedom of religon which means they can choose to believe in god or choose not to. I believe that Tarcaso should get the job even though he went against state laws he has the right of believing in god or not and if he chose not to he has all the right to.
I think the man won because he has freedom of religion so he can believe in what he wants to believe.
I think the Supreme Court decided he should have the job because as he stated, he can believe in whomever he decides because he has the the right to choose the his religion. The Supreme Court can’t base there decision just because he does believe in God.
because the state of Maryland had a law that if you wanted to have a state government job you have to believe in god
i think the man won because he has freedom of religion. The state can’t tell
you what to believe in.
I think the supreme court let him have the job because he has the right to not believe in god or religion.
I think the man won because he has freedom of religion . The state can’t tell
you what to believe in
I believe that the Supream Court said the maryland law was wrong to make that law because it was Religous to people who didn’t believe in god
I think the Supreme Court decided to let Tarcaso be a government official because the freedom of religion says people can decide to be whatever religion that person wants.
I think the Supreme Court judges gave him the job because everyone should have the freedom to believe in any religion and because everyone has the freedom to believe in anything they want.
I think the Supreme Court decided that Maryland should change their law so that people do not to have to say they believe in god and then Tarcaso can get a job in Marylands government. I think this because in the U.S. Constitution it says in the first amendment that no state should have an assigned religion.
I think he should have had the right to not believe in god because the state law clearly states freedom of religion.
I think the supreme court judges gave Mr. Tarcaso his job because they thought it was not to not give a man his job because of his religous beliefs. Maryland also disobied the freedom of religion because they did not let Mr. Tarcaso let him have his job. Maryland broke the freedom of religion because they chose there state religion
I think that the Supreme Court decided that the man should have the job because if you think about it, the 1st amendment has the freedom of religion in it, which basically is like a free pass and means that he SHOULD win the case. For those reasons, I believe that the Supreme Court decided that he should get the job.