Wyoming Constitution article 7. Education; State Institutions; Promotion of Health and Morals; Public Buildings.
Wyoming Constitution – Article 7: Education; State Institutions; Promotion of Health and Morals; Public Buildings
📚 Overview:
Article 7 of the Wyoming Constitution addresses the state's responsibility to provide for public education, maintain state institutions, and promote the health and morals of its citizens. It also includes provisions on public buildings and the administration of state-supported services.
🧾 Major Sections and Themes:
§1–14: Public Education
Free Public Schools (§1):
The state must provide a uniform system of free public schools for all children.
School Fund (§2–4):
Establishes a permanent school fund, sourced from state lands, fines, and other revenues. Interest from the fund must support schools.
School Taxes (§5–6):
Legislature is empowered to levy taxes for education and to allocate funds fairly across districts.
Religious Neutrality (§8):
No sectarian (religious) instruction is allowed in public schools. The state must maintain religious neutrality in education.
Superintendent of Public Instruction (§14):
A statewide elected official oversees the public education system.
§15–19: Higher Education and Special Schools
University of Wyoming (§16):
The state must maintain a university, with tuition as low as possible, and controlled by a board of trustees.
Agricultural College, Military Department (§17):
The university includes an agricultural college and may include military training.
Other Educational Institutions (§18):
State may support normal schools (teacher training) and other institutions like schools for the deaf and blind.
§20–24: Promotion of Health and Morals
Public Health and Morals (§20):
The state may enact laws to protect public health and morals, including quarantine and sanitation.
Care for the Indigent and Infirm (§21):
The state must provide institutions to care for the poor, aged, and disabled.
§25–28: Public Buildings and Institutions
Capitol and Public Buildings (§25):
Provides for the construction and maintenance of state buildings.
State Institutions (§26–28):
Lists and protects institutions such as hospitals, reformatories, and prisons as state obligations.
✅ Summary:
Article 7 places a constitutional duty on Wyoming to:
Provide free, nonsectarian public education
Support higher education and special schools
Promote public health and moral welfare
Maintain state buildings and public institutions
It represents the state’s social contract to ensure education, health, and welfare for all citizens.
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