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The '''Bennett Law''' was a highly controversial state law passed in [[Wisconsin]] in 1889, that required the use of only English to teach major subjects in all public and private elementary and high schools in Wisconsin. Schools that failed to comply would not be recognized by the state and the students who attended would be treated as truants.  It affected the state's many German-language parochial schools (and some Norwegian schools), and was bitterly resented by [[German-American]] communities.  The German Catholics and Lutherans each operated large networks of parochial schools in the state, and the language used in the classroom was German and the teachers would have to be replaced with bilingual teachers.

The '''Bennett Law''' was a highly controversial state law passed in [[Wisconsin]] in 1889, that required the use of only English to teach major subjects in all public and private elementary and high schools in Wisconsin. Schools that failed to comply would not be recognized by the state and the students who attended would be treated as truants.  The law affected the state's many German-language parochial schools (and also the handful of Norwegian Lutheran parochial schools), and was bitterly resented by the state's large [[German-American]] population.  The German Catholics and German Lutherans each operated large networks of parochial schools in the state; the language used in the classroom was German and the teachers would have to be replaced with bilingual teachers.

Wisconsin was a Republican state but the Democratic Party took up the German cause and defeated for reelection its main sponsor, Governor William D. Hoard.  The smashing defeat of the Bennett law by the voters helped establish the principle that parents, not the state government, had the primary responsibility for the education and language skills of their children.  It caused Republicans leaders, especially [[William McKinley]], to shy away from attacking ethnic or religious groups; instead they promoted pluralism.

Wisconsin was a Republican state but the Democratic Party took up the German cause and defeated for reelection its main sponsor, Governor William D. Hoard.  The smashing defeat of the Bennett law by the voters helped establish the principle that parents, not the state government, had the primary responsibility for the education and language skills of their children.  It caused Republicans leaders, especially [[William McKinley]], to shy away from attacking ethnic or religious groups; instead they promoted pluralism.

* Jensen, Richard J. ''The Winning of the Midwest, 1888-1896'' (1971).

* Jensen, Richard J. ''The Winning of the Midwest, 1888-1896'' (1971).

*  Merrill, Horace Samuel. ''William Freeman Vilas Doctrinaire Democrat'' (1954)

*  Merrill, Horace Samuel. ''William Freeman Vilas Doctrinaire Democrat'' (1954)

* Whyte, William Foote. "The Bennett law campaign in Wisconsin" ''Wisconsin Magazine Of History.'' Volume: 10 /Issue: 4 (1926-1927) [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/u/?/wmh,5642 online edition]

* Whyte, William Foote. "The Bennett law campaign in Wisconsin" ''Wisconsin Magazine Of History.'' Volume: 10 /Issue: 4 (1926-1927) pp 363-90 [http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/u/?/wmh,5642 online edition]

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