Posted on 12/05/2004 4:36:32 PM PST by Askel5
| Anti-Defamation League Offers Schools Guidance for Negotiating the 'December Dilemma' Tue Nov 9, 2:39 PM ET To: National Desk and Education Reporter Contact: Myrna Shinbaum, 212-885-7747, Todd Gutnick, 212-885-7755, both of the Anti-Defamation League NEW YORK, Nov. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Each December schools and teachers are confronted with the question of how to approach the holidays without favoring one religious faith over another or making some students feel uncomfortable because their religious background is different from others.
In letters sent to school districts nationwide and distributed through ADL's 30 regional offices, the League emphasizes the need for schools to be cautious in how they choose to employ religious symbols and teach about the holidays, and offers suggestions to help "create a school environment that celebrates diversity by respecting different points of view concerning religion." The general rule, the letter explains: "When a school does choose to acknowledge the December holidays, it is essential that the school must never appear to endorse religion over non-religion or one particular religious faith over another." [He's the "Merry Christmas" censor] Likewise, in a letter to government institutions and town officials responsible for holiday displays, ADL offers guidance on the placement of religious displays on public property. The letter comes with an easy-to-use chart, "Quick Guide to Religious Displays," explaining which types of displays are acceptable and not acceptable during the Holiday season. |
I'd like to offer my thoughts as a Jewish FReeper. The reality in America is that, thanks to the absence of real choice, most parents are forced to send their kids to public schools. It's natural and normal, under the circumstances, that parents will want their schools to reflect the dominant religion/culture.
That being so, I think that we Jews and other religious minorities should take a relaxed view of things, and not try to insist on every last letter of the law/constitution. If Jewish parents have given their kids any kind of decent religous education, it will be absolutely no threat if people want to sing some Christmas carols, light a Christmas tree, etc. in our schools and public places.
When I was a kid we all sang Protestant hymns in public school. It did me absolutely no harm. Let's chill out a bit!
A couple years ago, I was at my grandparents listening to Hannukah Lights on NPR, a collection of six or seven recollections of Jewish writers or artists on the season.
Sadly enough, without exception, these were tales by adults who'd never received much in the way of religious instruction and had never practiced their faith as children. One in particular stood out ... but only because it seemed odd that he would ascribe the lack of Jewish identify growing up to his parents' being movers and shakers in Hollywood.
While one or two found that having kids of their own prompted an investigation of their faith and an attempt to practice something like tradition, most looked to Israel and the suffering and slaughter of Jews (among others) during World War II as the catalyst for their renewed interest in their Jewish identity. They were quite upfront about the way the prayers they recited were "unintelligble" and the practice yet foreign.
As a Vatican II Catholic who's been learning my Latin in the choir loft as I reclaimed for myself the faith denied me by the revolution as a kid, I can sorta relate to that.
But what I cannot relate to -- and even as a ignoramus Vat II Catholic did not relate to -- was the Politicization of my faith in the name of Process, Systematic or Liberation theology.
I fear that's been the primary drawback of the establishment of a "Jewish" state that is not always as close to Abraham as it should be. It politicizes a people and I think that particularly where Judaism is seen as an ethnic quality or "race" of some sort, it's particularly skewed and the emphasis that should be on practice of one's faith gets put on blood relation or ethnic backgroun instead.
That's unfortunate. And I think that some who spend a lot of time worrying over the Political Ramifications of their faith -- and what is "constitutionally permissible" where the faith of others is concerned -- foment nothing but suspicion and mistrust ... particularly where they bring in the state to serve as Strongarm.
I have never understood what causes some Jewish folks to believe that a secularist state is somehow in their best interests for survival. Surely the New Age Odinists of the Third Reich proved that wrong once and for all.
Perhaps if more folks studied the FACTS of history instead of gleaning their knowledge from made-for-TV movies on the boob tube or NEA propaganda, fewer would be prone to fall into such gross misconceptions and more would understand who the real enemy is ... even when that real enemy is Us on occasion.
The Church ... with regard to Nazis and WWII-era Totalitarianism
(That too is something, as a Catholic, I understand well. We too have our own versions of the thoroughly politicized, compromised and conniving who think to speak for us all. Particuliarly odious when you realize that anyone, anytime, can see who is or is not a practicing Catholic based on the clear and unequivocal language of the Catechism.)
Best regards, governsleastgovernsbest.
Something about the frothing the dumb stuff goes here. ->
It's the Mass of Christ, Buenanoche, Stille Nacht, Buin Natale, etc. Get it, guys? Nobody Muslim gives a flying whatever, and the wiccans would rather fly somewhere. Only the Feast of Lights can hold 8+1 candles to this one, and this one has at least 12. Got it? You knew it in the day? You erect all kinds of Broadway things to get travelers there. So what's the real beef? Afraid of the goodness, or that you might be ignored by San Nicolas--who was, after all, a real saint back in the day. Geesh.
Madonna interview (Cat disgust v. "are you really 'sickened'?)
"KINSEY" interview. Find Reisman "talk of the town" passage.
=== So what's the real beef?
Well, as I intimated in my earlier post, I think the Triangulation of the People of the Book is primarily an atheist endeavor.
While you're definitely "dug in refusing to budge," I think that attitude's best applied to practice of your own faith which practice ... particularly where it keeps from unduly demonizing or belittling others even as it invites them to Christ, is truly Christian.
(Interestingly enough ... Madonna's on Kabbalism -- did you know Jung and Christ were Kabbalist? -- is now followed up by the playwright of KINSEY who's deriding the inimitably reliable Judith Reisman as irrational and delusional and fobbing off the one "fact" he'll acknowledge ... Kinsey's atheism.)
Let me guess, condoms hanging from a holiday tree....
This is what we need to change.
Yeah you rite .... Happy Xmas, Hillary!
Baby ... that's bringing it full circle as I listen to Madonna rag on the Church and whatshisface serve as apologist for the atheist Kinsey ... cutting it thin as he distinguishes between actual porn (and porn intended not to stimulate) as well as actual pedophilia and merely courting pedophiles for provision of Data and Facts.
He's amazing but I think top honors still go to the Supreme Court who managed to distinguish between childporn and the FAKED for-profit childporn which is specifically protected "Free Speech".
" To help negotiate this "December dilemma," the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) provides public schools and government institutions with materials and information on how to keep public recognition of the December holidays constitutionally permissible. "
Getting my grade school education in a Catholic school, that never really was an issue. ;^?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.