First Amendment Scholars – Law Student Essay Competition

This Year's Topic: Analyze how the principle of “parental rights” has changed.

Prompt: In 2025 the Supreme Court extended Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), citing it repeatedly in Mahmoud v. Taylor, where the Court sided with religious parents who objected on religious grounds to public school instruction that included books with LGBTQ themes or characters.

In 1,500 words or fewer, analyze how the principle of “parental rights” changes from Yoder to Mahmoud. What other constitutional or societal interests might conflict with this expanded understanding of parental rights in the First Amendment context? Discuss how the Court could or should balance these competing interests in future cases.

First Place Prize: $4,000
Second Place Prize: $3,000
Third Place Prize: $2,000
Optional Honorable Mention(s): $500

WORD LIMIT AND FORMATTING: Essay must be no longer than 1,500 words (not including footnotes), double spaced, standard margins, and font size 11 to 14 point. Include page numbers and the title of your essay on each page. Choose your own title. Indicate word length at end of essay. Citations must be included as footnotes.

AGREEMENT: By entering, students agree to permit winning essays to be printed in full or in part in Freethought Today, FFRF's newspaper, and posted online at FFRF's website. Winners agree to promptly provide a photograph suitable for reproduction with their essay. Verification of student enrollment may be requested.

Any entries must be the original work of the entrant and not the result of AI (ChatGPT or other large language models), plagiarism, or ghostwriting. If an entry is found to be the product of AI, plagiarism, or ghostwriting, FFRF may contact the law school of the person submitting material as their own writing. FFRF is also authorized to take action to recover any prize money improperly awarded and will seek the recovery of any associated costs.

Publication opportunity available to winners.

All eligible entrants will also receive a full 1-year complimentary student membership to FFRF, which includes a digital version of 10 issues of Freethought Today, FFRF’s newspaper (publishes winning student essays).

Contact email: lawstudentessay@ffrf.org

The contest is open to all ongoing law students attending a North American law school. You remain eligible to enter this contest if you will graduate from law school by spring or summer of 2026. You are not eligible to enter if you will be starting law school for the first time in the fall of 2026. You may not re-enter if FFRF has already awarded you for a law student essay.