> Sorry but equal protection before the law does not mean that you can tell someone they may not practice their religion. <
Agreed! My point (perhaps not very well said) is that if you allow Christian symbols in a public school, you must also allow Muslim symbols. Equal protection. Same set of rules for all. So allow all, or prohibit all? I think the latter choice is better.
As a side point, I never would have made this rather unpopular argument 20 years ago. But I’m seeing the U.S. slide more and more into Balkanization. Public schools - as imperfect as they are - do function as melting pots. And that’s something worth protecting.
Prohibit yarmulkes?
Neither action is religiously neutral in content or consequences for the students.
Either action, ( allowing all or prohibiting all), tramples the free speech, free expression of religious belief, and freedom of assembly of the students who are compelled ( by threat of police action) to be in the school. Either action ( allowing all or prohibiting all) tramples the First Amendment Rights of those who are forced to pay for it.
Fundamentally, all government schooling is a First Amendment abomination.
The solution: Begin the process of privatizing all schooling in this nation. The final goal should be complete separation of school and state.