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From the Chalkboard: Celebrating religious holidays
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Last week was Thanksgiving week. Two days out of school for kids all across America. Time to talk turkey! More importantly, time to give thanks.
George Washington’s proclamation written in 1789 states, “I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of that great and glorious being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him sincere and humble thanks for his kind care and protection.” 
Sadly, you will rarely hear this utterance in a public school setting because it mentions God and assumes religious faith.
Thanksgiving is over and the sights and sounds of Christmas can be seen and heard everywhere. To most people, it’s the most important holiday on the calendar. Time for Christmas vacation, or is it “winter break?” Again, hardly a word will be said at school about the birth of the savior — the reason for the season.
Religious holidays always cause a dilemma in our public schools. What is an appropriate expression to recognize such events so important to our country’s heritage and history? In recent years, the  ACLU and similar organizations have been quite successful in repressing any references to religious faith or recognition of Christian holidays at school. No more gift exchanges, singing of carols, or mention of the birth of the most important figure in human history, Jesus Christ.
Whether through ignorance or fear, Americans are painfully misguided about the recognition of religious holidays. Every year parents complain about school officials banning any reference to words or activities related to Christmas. There is an irrational bias against anything remotely religious, and most parents, students and teachers have the erroneous impression that there is nothing they can do to celebrate Christmas at school.
Incidents of Christmas censorship continue to be reflective of the misunderstanding over the separation of church and state, and what can and cannot be done to celebrate Christmas or other religious holidays. Is it constitutional to teach about religion? The Supreme Court has answered yes –– education may include teaching about religion. In the 1960s school prayer case Abington versus Schempp,  Associate Justice Tom Clark wrote for the court, “It might be well said that one’s education is not complete without a study of the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization.
“It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be affected consistently with the First Amendment.”
Furthermore, in the document “Religion in Public Schools:  A joint statement of current law,” 35 religious and civil liberties organizations give the following summary of the rights of students to express their faith in a public school: “Students have the right to pray individually or in groups or to discuss their religious views with their peers so long as they are not disruptive. Because the establishment clause does not apply to purely private speech, students enjoy the right to read their Bibles, say grace before meals, pray before tests and discuss religion with other willing listeners. In the classroom students have the right to pray quietly except when required to be actively engaged in school activities.”
Although the debate over school prayer has caused much confusion for school personnel, most questions regarding religious expression are easily resolved if schools keep in mind the distinction between government (school) speech endorsing religion — which the establishment clause has been interpreted to prohibit — and private (student) speech endorsing religion, which the free-speech and free-exercise clauses protect.
It is clear that religion, as well as religious holidays, can and should be included in a comprehensive school curriculum when presented by knowledgeable educators. The use of art, drama or religious themes is clearly permissible to the extent of serving a sound educational goal and not being used to promote a religious belief. In spite of available leeway, attacks on anything resembling faith continues.The most recent example was a school teacher in Cupertino who was forbidden by his principal to include certain historical writings because they mentioned God.
Such events underscore the importance of knowing what the law does and does not permit, especially as it relates to educational leaders. Sadly, in our efforts to ensure no one is offended, we offend the majority. The birth of Christ is the most important holiday of the year for most Americans. It should be widely recognized and celebrated with balance and sensitivity throughout our school systems.
Have a Merry Christmas!
E-mail Dick at:
dferris@bakersfieldfirst.com

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