Smith v. Ricci
Supreme Court of New Jersey
446 A.2d 501 (1982)
In response to rising teen pregnancy rates, New Jersey's State Board of Education (defendant) required public schools to implement a family-life education program covering sexuality and related topics, while letting parents excuse their children from any objectionable portion by submitting a signed statement citing religious conflict; parents (plaintiffs) challenged the program as unconstitutionally infringing their free exercise rights, arguing the required opt-out statement itself pressured students.
Whether an educational program that does not compel participation by students and is neither antagonistic toward religion nor supportive of non-religion infringes upon the right to free exercise of religion under the First Amendment.