Easter and Passover are just around the corner. In a changing America, getting holidays right in public schools isn’t easy. Legally, they technically can't. It’s even a battle sometimes in the workforce, with many corporations insisting that certain religious holidays be marked down as a vacation day. Should public schools celebrate holidays? Religious Holidays and Public Schools: A Brief Legal Analysis Although many controversies have arisen over religious holidays in public schools, the case law is scant. On Monday he discussed the issue on the Brian Lehrer Show, declaring that he planned to move forward with closing schools for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha , as well as for the Lunar New Year. Students actively seek to understand other perspectives and cultures through reading and listening, and they are able to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds. Read more of her articles here and follow her on Twitter @emmawaverman. 36. While these celebrations and traditions are a part of the fabric of American society, they have the potential to exclude students for a variety of reasons. Is there a particular threshold for a number of students or community members when choosing which traditions or holidays to celebrate? And the multi-faith calendar educators are provided with doesn’t stop teachers from going ahead and scheduling tests on religious holidays. Building the toolkit for paraprofessional success, Want to use videos to boost your sales? Why is my tween suddenly interested in faith?>. Since 2005, teachers have received multi-faith calendars they can refer to when planning out the school year. St. Joseph Communications uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Schools should recognize non-Christian religious holidays – … These questions are critical to take into account. However, my three kids will miss out on classroom assignments on Monday since they’ll be at home, celebrating the Jewish New Year. It is important that we also remember that a student's ethnic heritage is not necessarily directly tied to their cultural practices. Canada, especially its larger cities, is becoming more ethnically and religiously diverse. Religious Holiday Celebrations in Public Schools - Important Reminders (December 2019 School Leader Update) Hmmm, well, perhaps not for everyone. For example, when our local elementary school planned a trip to the Toronto Islands during the Jewish high holiday, the kids were exempt—but putting parents in the position where their kids miss out on class fun and bonding experiences in favour of a staid day at the synagogue or dinner with extended family isn’t fair. September 16, 2002. In the U.S., public schools may educate students about holidays with respect to cultural education but may not actually celebrate a holiday if it is a religious one. There is no Easter vacation in public schools as there was when I was a child. Recognition of and information about holidays may focus on how and when they are celebrated, their origins, histo- Teenage pregnancy, school violence, school shootings, and dru… Every educator wants classroom and school celebrations to be just that, Business Management, Services & Risk Management. The job of public schools is to not to celebrate religious holidays, but to teach students about Christianity and other religions in history, literature, art, and music or wherever in the curriculum study about religions is necessary for a good education. Banning religion from schools is unconstitutional to religious students who want to practice or worship during the school day. 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