ADL Offers Government Officials, Teachers, Parents Guidelines for Handling "December Dilemma"

Date: November 28, 2007

The Anti-Defamation League's Mountain States Regional Office has sent more than 700 letters to Colorado and Wyoming mayors, county commission chairs, and superintendents of public school districts with quick reference guides on how best to handle the upcoming "December Dilemma," when many different religious holidays are observed and it can be difficult for public officials to know the best way to respectfully and legally respect each one.

Letters to public officials included "ADL's Quick Guide to Religious Displays," while educators received ADL's brochure "The December Dilemma: December Holiday Guidelines for Public Schools."

The underlying principle about public religious displays and events is fairly simple: a municipality or public school must never appear to endorse or disapprove of one particular religion or religion in general. ADL advises that the classroom can be used to teach about religious holidays, but it shouldn’t celebrate one religious holiday over another.

ADL's online "December Dilemma" resources, which can be found at mountainstates.adl.org, include guidelines on: Religion in the Classroom ● Holiday Assemblies ● Performing Religious Music ● Holiday Displays.

In addition to the online "December Dilemma" resources, the following guides can be received by calling ADL at 303-830-7177 ext. 212, e-mailing Denver@ADL.org:

For Government Officials: Quick Guide to Religious Displays
For Teachers: The December Dilemma: Guidelines for Public Schools During the December Month: Religion in the Public Schools ● ABCs of Religion in Public Schools
For Jewish Parents: Religious Issues in Your Child’s Public School