Amish schools not exempt from (fire) inspection anymore

[The Straight Story]

Amish schools not exempt from inspection
By Melissa Raines, News Staff Reporter
Friday, January 25, 2008

COLUMBUS — Many Amish schools in Knox County have never had a fire inspection, but that will change in the next few weeks. An issue of top priority to State Fire Marshal Michael Bell and local fire chiefs, is the fire inspection of all schools in the state, including Amish schools, to ensure the safety of all children.

In the past, Amish schools, which do not ordinarily register with the state, are not on the list of schools the Ohio Department of Education provides to the fire marshal’s office. It has been up to the fire department personnel to locate the schools by word of mouth, and driving around the county, to locate the schools.

Bell said that the Ohio Fire Code does not require any agency to develop a list of all schools, including unregistered Amish schools, but his office will take on that task. Working with local departments, the list is growing.
...

Rep. Thom Collier compared the situation to the safety measures the state has requested the Amish comply with regarding their buggies, that some Amish communities have refused to follow.

Over the years, the Amish have battled against forced safety measures in court and won. “They are not required to follow any operating standards regarding health and safety,” Collier said. “Even if I passed a law tomorrow that stated that every Amish school simply had to register their location with the state, that does not mean they would comply,” Collier said. “When they fight it in court they would likely win based on the U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1972 in Wisconsin v. Yoder.” That decision exempted the Amish from many state requirements. “It’s been tested time and time again,” Collier said.

http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/08/01/25/amish.inspections.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Maybe just with safety?

but I know in Illinois back in the 60s, the Amish meat packing plant was shut down due to health code violations and I thought safety code violations. Maybe it was just health code. Sad, too, because mom would get cured sausage there, and it was really good.