Over some
years as a Curriculum Coordinator in more than one Vermont school district, I
was dismayed to discover the degree to which Christmas was routinely observed
and celebrated in our schools and classrooms.
Christmas was everywhere: Christmas decorations in school lobbies, halls
and classrooms; secret Santa gift giving; un-secret Santas in costume;
school-sponsored Christmas bazaars; Christmas concerts featuring Christmas carols;
Christmas plays; Christmas classroom parties during the school day, featuring
Christmas cookies and other Christmas treats.
In the midst of all of this, I kept picturing a non-Christian child or
adult - Baha’i, Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, Muslim, Sikh, Atheist, or Agnostic - facing
the deluge of Christmas in school for weeks, fearful about disclosing her/his
“otherness”.
The First
Amendment of the Constitution carries important obligations. Public schools may
not endorse religious activity or doctrine, nor coerce participation in
religious activity. The right of
religious expression in school DOES NOT include the right to have a “captive
audience” listen, or the right to compel other students to participate,
actively or passively.
Eventually I
raised this issue with a listening superintendent. She and I worked with the supervisory union
attorney to craft what came to be known (ultimately fondly) as "The Grinch Memo". I’ve written
countless memos in my career as an educator.
This is one still makes me proud.
We intentionally sent it early in the school year, giving everyone time
to make plans for the winter months. We
knew it would cause a stir, and it did.
But for many years afterwards, principals would often ask me for a copy
of it…because it made sense to them, too.
The purpose
of public schools is to engage students and prepare them to live as productive
citizens in a democracy. We serve this
purpose poorly by ignoring the religious, ethnic, and economic diversity of our
society; by assuming that our own community is homogenous.
Please feel free to use or adapt "The Grinch Memo" to raise awareness
in your school district.
Memorandum
To: Teachers and
Administrators
From: Superintendent
and Curriculum Coordinator
Re: Guidelines on
Religious Observances and Symbolism in Schools
The topic of religious expression in public schools
encompasses a wide array of issues and raises a multitude of questions under
the First Amendment. The First Amendment
reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof...”
The First Amendment applies to state governments and therefore to public
schools as agents of the state.
Two Basic and Equally
Important Obligations of the First Amendment:
1) Schools may not discriminate against religious expression
by students. Schools must give students
the same right to engage in religious activity and discussion as they have to
engage in other comparable activity.
2) Schools may not endorse religious activity or doctrine,
nor coerce participation in religious activity.
The right of religious expression in school DOES NOT include the right to
have a “captive audience” listen, or the right to compel other students to
participate, actively or passively.
Guidelines for Schools
in Keeping with the First Amendment:
a. No religious
belief or non-belief should be promoted by the school district or its employees
and none should be disparaged.
b. The district
should use all opportunities to foster understanding and mutual respect among
students and parents, whether it involves race, culture, economic background,
or religious beliefs.
c. The district recognizes that one of its educational goals
is to advance students’ knowledge of, and appreciation for, the role that
religious heritage has played in the social, cultural, and historical
development of civilization. Information
about historical and contemporary values and the origin of religious holidays
may be appropriately provided in an unbiased and objective manner without
sectarian indoctrination and as described by the curriculum.
d. Music, art, literature, and drama having religious themes
or religious basis are permitted, as part of the curriculum, in portraying the
cultural and religious heritage of a particular holiday. The emphasis on religious themes will be only
as extensive as necessary for a balanced and comprehensive study or presentation. Religious content included in student
performances will be selected on the basis of independent educational merit and
aesthetic value, and will seek exposure to a variety of religious customs,
beliefs, and forms of expression.
e. Schools will not
observe holidays as religious events, or promote such observance by
students. Concerts will avoid programs
dominated by religious music, especially when these coincide with a particular
religious holiday. Celebrations and
observances sponsored by the school will be limited to secular aspects of any
particular holiday.
f. The use of religious symbols such as a cross, menorah,
crescent, Star of David, crèche, symbols of Native American religions, or other
symbols is acceptable when displayed as an example of the
cultural and religious heritage of the holiday and are temporary in
nature. They may not be used as
decorations. Please note: Symbols of
religious holidays which have acquired secular meaning, such as Christmas
trees, may be permissible decorations, although the courts have not ruled on
this specific issue.
g. In the spirit of tolerance, students and staff members
should be excused from participating in practices that are contrary to their
religious beliefs unless there are clear issues of overriding concern that
would prevent it.
In making decisions about music selections,
artistic displays, etc., teachers and administrators should use the following
“litmus test”.
Answer the
question:
“Why do we
want to display this item or perform this particular music?”
If
the answer is “To celebrate Christmas”
(or any other religious
holiday), then the school will not be able to allow this display or performance.
If
the answer is “To teach about Christmas (or any other religious holiday) as part
of a planned and
balanced approach to teaching about the role of religious heritage
in its social, cultural, and historic context
around the world”, then the school will be able to allow this display or performance.
