to do so should override the children's religious rights.

The case was assigned to Judge Albert Maris in the federal court in Philadelphia. Maris was a new judge, having just been appointed to the court by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Judge Maris ruled in favor of the Gobitas family:

The refusal of Lillian and William to salute the flag in the Minersville Public School was based solely upon their sin- cerely held religious convictions that the act was forbidden by the express command of God as set forth in the Bible.

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The enforcement of defendants' regulation requiring the flag salute by children who are sincerely opposed to it upon con- scientious religious grounds is not a reasonable method of teaching civics, including loyalty to the S...

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