A-statement cautioning against individual action in the case of religious holiday observances or celebrations in the public schools, has been issued by the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Community Council of Essex County.
The statement warned that religious holiday observances or celebrations in the public schools inject religious sectarianism into public education, and therefore are a threat to the American principle of the separation of church and state. The statement declared that.
“Where a school has had only Christmas programs, we must be mindful that a public frontal attack on the Christmas observances will probably produce more harm than good. However, in instances reported to us in the past, where the school’s Christmas program was clearly one of religious indoctrination, the CRC has often been successful in convincing the school authorities that the programs ought to be modified.”
The statement pointed out that “Hanukah celebrations or joint Christmas-Hanukah celebrations in the public schools are not the solution, and should not be encouraged, since they tend to complicate the problem by introducing more, rather than less, religious observances into the schools and may seem to some to justify Christmas religious activity.
“As believers in the separation of church and state, we have no right to be involved in violation of the separation principle through the introduction of Jewish religious observances and celebrations. Therefore. Jewish parents should not promote or encourage such Hanukah or joint celebrations in schools where they have not heretofore been the rule. “The statement advised that “where a Christmas Chanukah program has heretofore been the regular practice in a school, our effort should be directed toward making sure that the program is not a sectarian or credal observance, but father a contribution to teaching the children about various religions.” Parents were advised that “where religious holiday observances are held in public schools, Jewish children have a right to refrain from participation. This office will take such action as may be appropriate to safeguard this right of non-participation.”
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