that's the Festivus pole, a different episode than George's conversion.
but funny too. I like the pole reference! =)
There currently are no laws whatsoever banning or restricting prayer in schools. Courts decided only that teachers and school officials cannot lead students in prayer, which makes perfect sense. I mean, how would you feel if your children's Scientologist teachers led their students in prayer to L. Ron Hubbard?
Unless we're going to legally establish a national religion, it's best not having government employees doing religious education, right? If public school teachers had the right to teach their students religion, you would have no control over what sort of religion is being taught, and there's an awful lot of crazies out there..
But I don't think anyone is trying to stop children from exercizing their freedom of religion. It's government workers who waive this right as terms of their employment.