A small town has a problem with fights breaking out between groups of teenagers who live in different parts of the county. One group, who live on Blackstone Road, wear black Adidas hats to identify themselves. The other, who live on Greenbriar Trail, wear green John Deere hats. Because fights have become common at the high school, the school board passed a rule banning headwear of any kind on school grounds. Later that school year, a new student moved in from Jamaica and is a practicing Rasafarian. As a Rastafarian, he is not required to cover his head, but within his faith covering one$$s head is a sign of devotion to God and the student is very devoted to his faith. When he is banned from wearing his head covering to school, his parents sue the school for violating his First Amendment rights.

Question: The Sherbert Test is a balancing test, meaning the prongs of the test are considered individually, but the court$$s decision comes from which way the issue is leaning after all the prongs are considered together. Which is the most important prong for the student to win?

$[$Hint: Unit $3$ Notes, pp$.1-3$; Con Law Grid, pp$.4-5]]$

$[$Hint $2$: The courts use the word "prong" to refer to the individual elements of the test. Think of it like a pitchfork. It's one tool made up of several prongs. Got it$?]$

$1.$

Whether the rule had a secular $($non$-$religious$)$ purpose

$2.$

Whether the rule was necessary to achieve an important goal for the school

$3.$

Whether he had a sincerely held religious belief that was burdened by the school$$s action

$4.$

Whether the student had a sincerely held religious belief