ADL Responds to Concerns about Role of Religion in Public Schools

Date: October 30, 2008

Recently, a number of parents and students in the region have brought concerns to the League about the role of religion and religious accommodation in their public schools. For instance, one high school in Berks County invited a Christian rapper to play during school hours and invited all the 10th graders, including the teachers, to attend. Another high school parent reported that her daughter was unable to take the required PSAT test because it was scheduled nationally to take place on the Jewish Holiday of Sukkot, with a back-up date of the following Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.

In each case, ADL reached out to the individuals and institutions involved to ensure that all parties understood their rights and responsibilities, to assist in identifying appropriate solutions, and to seek assurance that careful thought and consideration will go into these matters in the future.

As the winter holiday season approaches, ADL anticipates many more calls from public school students, parents, teachers and administrators facing the difficult task of acknowledging the various religious and secular holiday traditions celebrated during this time of year. In assisting teachers, parents and administrators with efforts to promote greater understanding and acceptance while carefully adhering to First Amendment guidelines, the League's December Holiday Guidelines can serve as a valuable resource.

In 95 years of fighting anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry, ADL remains committed to ensuring that the vision of religious liberty upon which this nation was founded is preserved. The League's Civil Rights work is guided by our belief that individual religious freedom is extremely precious and that no one should be subjected to inappropriate religious coercion.