<p>I’ve noticed that “Christians” that I know personally (I use the quotation marks because these people don’t even go to church) get all upset when Jewish kids and Muslim kids and atheists point out that Christmas is a religious holiday that has no place in public schools. The (simplistic) argument is, “Why do we always have to make sure that everyone’s little religions get represented? I’m tired of having to cater to everyone. Why can’t we just celebrate Christmas? It’s freedom of religion, not freedom from religion!” Well, I don’t want my tax dollars “teaching” religion at school, when 1) it’s a parent’s job and 2) parents do it much better anyway.</p>
<p>I know a very devout Catholic who has argued that, well, America was founded on Christian principles so everyone else just has to live with it. (No use pointing out that it was also founded on racist and sexist principles…) I guess I don’t buy “We were here first” as method of choosing how to govern ourselves… and, being of pre-Mayflower lineage, I think such a system should account for my atheism. :)</p>
<p>Anyway, just letting you guys know what the other side thinks. I will suggest that this is mostly the fault of people who think that everything, from morals to sex, should be taught in schools. Perhaps if we harken back to education as the primary mission of schooling, with plenty of time for the younguns to be raised at home, we would not have these issues.</p>
<p>StickerShock, I completely agree that Christianity is wonderful - one need look no further than the Atlanta courthouse shootings to see how Christianity can change a person from the worst of people into someone ready to help humanity.</p>
<p>Despite that, I think you are deliberately misreading Alu’s post. She’s not trashing your religion, by any stretch of the imagination. She’s not saying that Christ’s message is anything but good. What she is saying is that you don’t notice problems when they are someone else’s problems. When your religion is the one being taught in schools, you don’t see the civil rights issue. Just imagine that the US had arisen as a Jewish country. Imagine if your kids had to skip school to celebrate Christmas and Good Friday, the way that Jews skip to celebrate Rosh Hashana. Imagine if they were penalized for this (as many Jewish students are). Imagine if their teachers said that the Messiah has yet to come. </p>
<p>Should tradition be changed because not everyone embraces it? Well, let’s rephrase: if tradition is slavery and not everyone embraces it, should it be changed? Should the tradition of not educating women have been changed because, after all, what are they really complaining about?</p>
<p>Perhaps we should be more assertive of telling cheerleaders to stop acting like porn stars and start acting like respectable athletes. I do NOT say this sarcastically, as I’m really a prude. I see nothing wrong with vocalizing one’s issues and attempting to improve society. That’s how we get better as a civilization.</p>
<p>Because, a dreidel is not a religious symbol, but a traditional or secular one. It’s a spinning top game that kids play during Hanukkah with no religious significance. The menorah has been determined to be a secular symbol too, depending on the context of its display. Mangers, baby Jesus etc. on the other hand are seen as religious symbols that have significance to a particular belief. Christmas trees and Santa are OK since they have come to be associated with the secular tradition of the holiday.</p>
<p>Religious songs have been determined to be cultural in value and are allowed, however there must not be the tradition of one religion dominating if they are performed.</p>
<p>Who is “you?” I am very aware of the problems of others and would be the first to recognize the implications of my religion being taught in schools. I do not wish for my religion to be taught in a public school in any other than an historical, political, or cultural context. I do object when my faith must not be mentioned, yet Judaism is taught. You are so quick to judge the motives & understanding of others that you are having trouble with reading comprehension.</p>
<p>Why do you think Catholic schools grew like mushrooms all over the US? It was because a non-Catholic (and often anti-Catholic) religion was taught and presented as the true faith in the public schools. Not acceptable to Catholics. So, no, as a Catholic I am not in favor of picking one religion and teaching it. Been there, done that.</p>
<p>Slavery is not a tradition. It is a gross human rights violation. Your clumsy rephrasing does absolutely nothing to shed light on the topic at hand. </p>
<p>walkermom: I know that for some crazy reason the menorah has been determined to be a secular symbol. This is nuts. It has a direct relation to the religious celebration. I’m well versed in the controversy, but I do not agree with the entire premise that has led to the dismantling of our traditions.</p>
<p>StickerShock. Well first of all, I sound illiterate:). Typo. That’s my real religion, the god of correct grammar…</p>
<p>There is a bad connotation I can connect to the message of Christ - as it has been implemented in society. Populations have been razored out of existence, in the name of whatever. And Christians have done it. So now that I know my BIL, I can understand that he does not want to have his daughter sitting in school singing Holy Night when for him it calls into mind Krystalnacht. Religion as a public creed causes genocide, on occasion. In private, all may hail their gods.</p>
<p>So Jewish symbols shouldn’t be hung on the walls in schools unless Christian and Buddhist and Hindu and others are there as well. Nor should Christian hymns be sung in schools by children unless the Jewish songs are sung as well.</p>
<p>Aries, perhaps you and Fountainsiren should compete in the cc version of a reality show…articulate young people show us the way.</p>
<p>I think this is so very true. I think for some people, particularly those surrounded mostly by others who share their dominant religion, they come to just assume that everyone else is doing it too and is thinking the same way. It doesn’t even occur to some people (I see this in my area) that anyone else would even celebrate something different or wouldn’t praise Jesus or wouldn’t ever consider a Christmas tree and isn’t shopping for a month for presents (LOL, sorry but that last one is very true). It is almost as if their traditions are “the way” and anyone not with the program is the odd one out. Some, as you say, have no concept of how such traditions that are so part of whom they are strike others. Every year, innocent but naive people would ask the kids what they are asking for from Santa (forcing the kids to say that they do not celebrate XMas) or innocently ask if we are stressed out with all the holiday shopping for everyone (we are cool as a clam as we are not in a buying frenzy whatsoever and only get gifts for the children and nobody else), and things of that sort. Kids used to have to sell wreathes as fundraisers and we’d always be asked why we were not buying one and even if they knew we were Jewish, they coudn’t undersand why we don’t have one on our door. We are ALWAYS explaining. That’s OK, we are educating others who simply assume EVERYONE is doing what they are doing. </p>
<p>StickerShock wrote:
</p>
<p>I have to agree with walkermom here that a dreidel is not a religious symbol but a traditional cultural symbol and just a game kids play during this holiday. That is why I was likening it to Rudolph. Rudolph, Santa, a tree, a stocking, etc. are not like mangers and Baby Jesus. They are not religious in nature. So, if your school has Santa or Rudolph on the wall and also has a dreidel, sounds pretty equal. Frankly, I don’t see a need to have any of it at school, but I don’t see how Hanukah is dominant there. If a parent comes into the classroom, as I have done many times, to share cultural traditions about our holiday, such as a dreidel game, gelt, potato latkes, menorahs, I would be totally fine if another parent/family came in to share about their Christmas traditions or Kwanzaa, etc. rituals. It would be teaching about religious cultures as exposure. That is different than celebrating in religiously embedded traditions at school. My kid shouldl not have to write a letter to Santa and leave it under the class tree. My kid may sing holiday songs like Winter Wonderland, Deck the Halls, We Wish you A Merry Christmas, and hopefully there are also songs from the Hanukah and Kwanza repertoire, IF this is even going to be part of a choral concert. At our HS, it was ALL songs of the dominant culture and some had much more religious connotations. The end of the evening each year ended with families joining in on Silent Night. My children were not happy with this and felt uncomfortable. One is that the assumption is that everyone is celebrating that holiday and they were not. The song is about Baby Jesus and the birth of “our Savior”. You wrote that there is nothing bad about Jesus. Well, I’m not saying there is anything bad about Jesus but we surely do not worship him at all. You do and that is fine and I wholly respect your beliefs. Again, there is that assumption that we all think Jesus is wonderful and this is part of our culture. It is not. Jesus and other topics of such religious significance do not belong as part of the school activities. Studying religions and learning which have which beliefs and customs is educational. Celebrating and partaking in rituals is another thing.</p>
<p>I also do not think Christian symbols are banned in your school but Jewish ones allowed. A Rudolph/Santa and a dreidel/menorah hanging up are pretty equal. I would say that the Star of David was not the appropriate symbol and in fact, it is not associated with the holiday but with the religion, sort of like you have a cross. So, I could see not using that symbol. But it sounds like your school hung up something from each religious holiday. </p>
<p>I still believe it is far better to leave this out of school because school can be a “safe haven” where kids in the minority religion aren’t bombarded with being different, even if they are commerically and otherwise. I think there is ample time to celebrate your religious beliefs and activities at home, in the community and at church. </p>
<p>I also find it hard to imagine that a child in your school who wasn’t raised in a religious family would come to think that Judaism is the predominant religion UNLESS your school has a huge majority of Jewish students in the school population. There is WAY WAY more out in the every day world to let one know that Christmas is by far the more “popular” holiday. No kid in today’s commercial culture could be unaware of all things Christmas. Many, as in my community could grow up totally unaware that there are people right here who do not celebrate Christmas or do not worship Jesus, etc. </p>
<p>By the way, we get XMAS and EASTER off every year at our school and I imagine that is the case at yours. Those are two of your religion’s most major holidays. My children had school on every Jewish holiday including the most high holiest ones of the year, Rosh Hoshanna and Yom Kippur. In fact, one year our school had back to school night on Yom Kippur. My kids have had school sports games on Yom Kippur. Passover is another major holiday. You can bet that both sets of grandparents out of state were very unhappy that their children and grandchildren could not be with them on many of these holidays. Missing school to travel, missing required sports practices, etc. was just too difficult. Your children did not contend with this. Just pointing out a difference, not complaining. Surely kids at your school knew there were Chrisitan religions because the school closes for the big ones. I don’t know a kid alive in America today who is unaware of XMas and things like trees, Santa, and all the gift buying. Maybe a kid who never watched two months of commercials, saw an ad in a paper, a town strung with XMas lights and decorations, might be unaware and think that Hannukah was the main holiday. After all, there are so many commercials and decorations about town for Hanukah. Where I live, there are NONE. Finding Hanukkah candles each year is so difficult, that our families mail them to us from out of state. Finding a Hanukah card at the store to mail “gelt” to my nieces and nephews is quite difficult. But there are aisles and aisles of XMas cards. We have to locate Hanukah wrapping paper out of state as well. I don’t mind. I understand the majority aspect. But you could never convince me that the kids in your school, unless it were a Jewish school, would assume that Judaism is the only religion. Even if their own family embraced no religion, they’d have to live in a cave to be unaware of Christian holidays. </p>
<p>I respect your point of view, but I think you are unaware of how people who are not Christian feel about being forced to sing about Baby Jesus, have to go Christmas caroling, and things of that nature because those activities are, as Alumother says, like “wallpaper” to you. They are so much apart of your life, that it is hard to imagine that it is VERY much NOT a part of others’ lives. I don’t think your children are forced to sing the Hanukah prayers over the candles. </p>
<p>Well, as I said, this did open a can…and is straying from the original topic.</p>
<p>Dismantling WHOSE traditions? And WHAT traditions? Religious traditions are just that…religious. By not observing them in school, they are not dismantled but there is a time and place for everything. These so called “traditions” are not national American traditions that everyone shares or has in common, but rather these traditions belong to your religious culture, not everyone’s. That was also what Alumother was talking about. Your “traditions” are so ingrained like wallpaper, that there is some assumption that these are national cultural traditions. They are not. Celebrating Jesus belongs to YOUR religious traditions, not mine. Celebrating Thankgiving or Fourth of July, that belongs to our country’s heritage. Just like celebrating the Sabbath, sitting shiva, etc. are not YOUR traditions, your traditions are not mine. Thus it is better off not part of school. It does not mean shunning your traditions but merely embracing them in the home, church and community, not school.</p>
<p>Schools should aspire to be safe havens, as Soozievt wrote above. That is the key to it all. It is fine if a school wants to honor all the beliefs on this planet throughout the year. That is easy to do when the school has a very diverse student population such as found in the international schools where I have been working for almost 20 years. Everyone gets their major religious holidays off if they want them. The school celebrates all the religious & national holidays in the classrooms, as projects etc. It is just part of the package. I never have to worry about a book being banned in the library since everyone knows they must be respectful of everyone else’s points of views. And since most aren’t sure exactly what that may be they are generally more tolerant. Safe Havens.</p>
<p>I would imagine if you just scratch the surface in every school community in the US you will find many divergent points of view. The problem is that the majority opinion must hold sway and no one really cares about the so called minority points of view. That does not create safe havens. </p>
<p>It is really a shame. We do now live in a global society. The products we use every day come from China, the telephone solicitors from India as examples. Across the globe, the rich are scrambling to put up higher fences to protect their markets, to keep the hordes out. People are afraid. And I think it is that same fear of change & difference that makes people uncomfortable when they can’t sing their songs at schools just like their parents and grandparents did.</p>
<p>Safe havens can only occur when you open up the windows and embrace your neighbors as your own and respect them.</p>
<p>I think that in my above post, I DID classify this as “sheer ignorance” and not a “cruel” action. That said, I <em>DO</em> think that that amount of ignorance in this day and age in ANY area of the U.S. <em>IS</em> sad. It’s not like we don’t have books, movies, television, and the internet or that just because you’ve never met a Jew you must think that she sports horns. <em>lol</em></p>
<p>Maybe if I finish that conversation, it will shed a bit more light. After the woman made the comment saying that she was surprised that we were Jewish because we were “nice,” she proceeded to question me in a rather antagonistic manner. I will never forget this as this conversation took place just prior to Yom Kippur. After I explained to the woman that both Jews and Christians believe in the Old Testament and in the sanctity of the Ten Commandments, she began to speak about the subject of sin. I told her that our most important and solemn holiday was coming up, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. She then said something on the order of, “Why do the Jews think they’re SO great that they <em>only</em> have to atone ONCE A YEAR? Christians ask forgiveness all the time for their sins!” Now, to me, THAT is more than ignorance and probably reflected something or other she’d heard in her church.</p>
<p>I actually accompanied one of my very best friends to a local church about 12 years ago. During the service, I heard something that both STUNNED and humiliated me. The minister began this diatribe against the Jews by saying, “The JEWS think they’re the CHOSEN ones, but they’re NOT!!! They’re going to burn in Hell for not accepting our savior…” blah, blah, blah. Now, no one but my friend who took me to the service knew that I was Jewish, and she never once addressed this event or apologized for this obvious insult. What I learned from this experience is that several of the local churches spout very negative views about Jewish people, and that may be contributing to the larger community and school issue.</p>
<p>Speaking of the school issue, I have been invited for many years now to go into the schools during Hanukkah and explain our holiday. I have done it for about the past 12 years. I HAVE noticed that the kids who attended elementary school with my children demonstrate much more enlightenment and much less antiSemitism than the ones who have never been around a Jewish person, so I DO think that education is a key factor. That said, I have become increasingly uncomfortable doing this and have decided to decline any invitations this year. I do not think religion, ANY religion, belongs in the schools, and I’d hate for anything to be misinterpreted by other parents. My own children take part in any and all local Christmas programs, celebrations, choir concerts, etc. I’ve never had an issue with that as we are, by a long, long, LONG shot, the minority here, and the vast majority of my kids’ friends are Christian.</p>
<p>I remember the hullaballoo last year, when many stores decided to stop wishing people a “Merry Christmas”, but a “Happy Holidays” instead, and how this was so outrageous to so many Christians. In fact, part of the hullaballoo is that many said Christians refused to shop in stores that didn’t acknoweldge their holiday. Um…hello? All my life I have had people wish me a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter, even though I celebrate neither. I have just smiled and gone on my way. Was MY holiday ever acknowledged? Did I make a big, hairy deal out of that? No.</p>
<p>This is just one of countless examples, and there really are countless, of the ways the majority religion impacts American life, and it is in no way just in schools. As a member of a minority religion, I understand that the ways of the majority prevail. That’s OK. But to act as if somehow Christianity is being attacked, because shopkeepers wish a “Happy Holiday”, or because kids don’t sing songs about Jesus as Lord in school…? Puhleeze.</p>
<p>Allmusic,
I agree with what you posted. Just one addition: Please remember that the people who did the kind of boycot that you describe represented what I personally call the “lunatic fringe” or Christianity. While they act as if they represent all Christians, they actually don’t. Most Christians aren’t expecting stores to wish them a “Merry Christmas,” and most Christians aren’t complaining when public school concerns become winter festivals, not Christmas concerts. I believe that I also have read that polls indicate that most Americans believe that religion should be a private matter.</p>
<p>When my kids went to nursery school, it was a wonderful place that taught the children about all kinds of diversity including various religions’ December celebration. As a result, my older son, the age 4, asked me for a dreidle, which I got for him.</p>
<p>Shortly after, I was on TV talking about Kwanzaa while my kids were home being babysat. The sitter told me later that while my kids watched me on TV (in our Christmas-decorated home), my older S was playing with the dreidel. I think that’s really cool, and a wonderful example of the open mindedness that can happen when kids get exposure to various cultures’ beliefs and customs.</p>
<p>“Please remember that the people who did the kind of boycot that you describe represented what I personally call the “lunatic fringe” or Christianity.”</p>
<p>NSM, I don’t know about that. It seems that many TV personalities were on the tube last year were very vocal about this matter.</p>
<p>I am glad that you shared your dreidel/Kwanzaa story. When my youngest was in a public elementary/middle school there were Christmas cookies baked, various holiday songs sung, and potato latkes eaten. The potato latkes came to a halt when, as the story was told, one parent marched into the principal’s office and stated that her son is a Christian and will not be exposed to Latkes. This is a potato pancake, so what is the harm? Well, I had been told that this mother threatened to sue the school! Anyway, my son had Christmas cookies, and holiday songs, but the Jewish tradition of latkes were taken away that year.</p>
<p>Northeastmom, that story about the latkes and XMas cookies is something else! If they were going to take the latkes away, so should the other cultural traditions that were being shared or eaten. </p>
<p>Frankly, I think saying Happy Holidays is the way to go because it doesn’t assume everyone is celebrating the same religious holiday. We are constantly told Merry Christmas by others and it truly doesn’t bother me because I think they mean well. But there is an element of ignorance to assume that Christmas is a national holiday or something and not a religious one. We tend to say “thank you and same to yours” etc. because it would get tiresome to keep saying, “thanks, but we don’t celebrate Christmas”. I suppose we could return the greeting with “Happy Hanukah” but I don’t think that would go over so well. </p>
<p>During the winter holidays, we find ourselves “educating” people because so much of this comes up. If people ask about family get togethers and all the gift shopping, we explain that Hanukah is NOT a major Jewish holiday but that Christians assume it to be only because it happens to fall at the time of year when their BIG holiday occurs and so by association, they assume Hanukah is also big for us, but it is not. This is not a holiday when we go visit relatives, compared to doing so for Rosh Hoshanah, Passover or Thanksgiving. It certainly is not a buying gifts frenzy like Christmas is! Gifts are traditionally bought just for children. We are not buying adults and every person we know on the planet a gift. So, we are relaxed when everyone else is talking about the stress of the holiday. People assume we are doing all that same stuff, so we just educate them when the topic arises. </p>
<p>I realize we live in a community where we are one of the few NOT celebrating Christmas. This is a contrast to my hometown where there are many Jewish people and thus schools close for Rosh Hoshanna, and stores have decorations up for both Christmas and Hanukah (unfortunately I have not seen much of Kwanzaa ones). So, awareness is tied to some locations and people’s backgrounds. </p>
<p>Berurah, I don’t know what to say about your friend with whom you accompanied to church but I don’t know that she needed to apologize. You were exposed to her church and well, your eyes were opened. I have not seen any of my religious leaders in a temple talk of other religions that are going to go to hell. But I’m sure it was interesting to see what is preached in another religion’s venue. </p>
<p>For me, I accept and respect each person’s religion and do not think mine is “better” but it is simply mine. A woman who used to babysit my infant is a Jehovah’s Witness. From time to time, she stops by the house with her “Witnesses” to hand out information, etc. Frankly, I am against that sort of thing of trying to convert others to your religion but I know this is what she is taught and expected to do. I am always polite and I accept her pamphlets and I say I respect them and am willing to take the information but I have my own religion and I am happy with it and respect her for her religion. </p>
<p>Teaching respect of other religions can be part of school. Learning about other cultures, traditions and religions is a very good thing. Putting down others because they have different beliefs is terrible and so education is important. So, I am all for exposure at school to other cultures and religions, just not PRACTICING them at school.</p>
<p>Isn’t the solution just not to celebrate any religious holidays at all? Keep the festivities limited to a generic holiday spirit so no one is left out or coerced.</p>
<p>I am always very sad to hear my Christian friends lash out against Gay Pride Day at our school–they say that it makes them feel left out and that it it is subtly forcing them to “become gay.” Yet at the same time the Christians vehemently support a school celebration of Christmas!</p>
<p>“Northeastmom, that story about the latkes and XMas cookies is something else! If they were going to take the latkes away, so should the other cultural traditions that were being shared or eaten.”</p>
<p>soozievt-exactly! It was something else alright!</p>
<p>I do agree that school is not the place to celebrate any religious holidays. My preference is that they don’t do it at all. My second choice would be IF they are going to do it, include all religions. While I am against celebrating religious holidays at school, I am not against the study and exposure to the various religions of the world and their traditions. I am against celebrating and practicing them in a school setting.</p>
<p>Here is an alternative viewpoint from the British Schools in America website:</p>
<p>Religion</p>
<p>These guidelines aim to clarify the schools approach to addressing religion. Those of you who come from a British educational background will have experienced the government directive that in non-religious foundation schools a broadly Christian based programme is compulsory. Those of you who come from an American background will be familiar with the guidelines issued from the US Secretary of Education.</p>
<p>As a British style school, some of our parents may expect us to follow the UK guidelines, but as a British school located in the USA, we are obliged to follow the guidelines for US public schools (as we are a non-religious foundation secular school). Briefly, schools may not discriminate against private religious expression by students but, at the same time, schools may not endorse religious doctrine.</p>
<p>The following statements distinguish between teaching about religion and religious indoctrination.</p>
<p>The schools approach to religion is academic, not devotional.
The school strives for student awareness of religions but not for student acceptance of any one religion.
The school may study about religion but does not sponsor the practice of religion.
The school exposes students to a diversity of religious views but does not impose any particular view.
The school educates about religions but does not promote or denigrate any religion.
The school informs students about various beliefs but does not seek to conform them to any particular belief.
Religion plays a significant role in history and society, study about religion helps us to understand the country in which we live and the wider world. Omission of facts about religion can give students the false impression that the religious life of humankind is insignificant or unimportant. Failure to understand even the basic symbols, practices, and concepts of the various religions makes much of history, literature, art and contemporary life unintelligible. Moreover, knowledge of the roles of religion in the past and present promotes cross-cultural understanding essential to democracy and world peace.</p>
<p>Teaching about religion is not the same as teaching values. The former is objective academic study: the latter involves the teaching of particular ethical viewpoints or standards of behaviour. There are basic model values recognised by all members of our school community such as honesty, integrity, justice, and compassion. These values are taught in class, often as part of our PSHE programme and in circletime. They are also reinforced in our behaviour policy. Teachers never invoke religious authority. Children may be encouraged to debate the many complex issues confronting our society but such perspectives are presented without denigrating one view against the other.</p>
<p>Religious holidays offer excellent opportunities to teach about religion in school. Recognition of and information about such holidays focuses on the origin, history and generally agreed upon meaning of the observances. The approach is objective, neither advancing nor inhibiting religion, and fosters among the students understanding and mutual respect within and beyond the local community.</p>
<p>“Knowledge about religions is not only a characteristic of an educated person, but it is also absolutely necessary for understanding and living in a world of diversity. Knowledge of religious differences and the role of religion in the contemporary world can help to promote understanding and alleviate prejudice. Since the purpose of the social studies is to provide students with a knowledge of the world that has been, the world that is, and the world of the future, studying about religions should be an essential part of the social studies curriculum. Omitting study about religions gives students the impression that religions have not been and are not now part of the human experience. Study about religions may be dealt with in special courses and units or wherever knowledge of the religious dimension of human history and culture is needed for a balanced and comprehensive understanding.”
From the position statement and guidelines of the National Council for Social Studies (USA).</p>
<p>NSM, I don’t know about that. It seems that many TV personalities were on the tube last year were very vocal about this matter."</p>
<p>What leads to the distortion is that probably the vast majority of Christians don’t prostelytize, and believe in ramming their religion down others’ throats. As a result, people assume that people like Katherine Harris and the people boycotting stores for not wishing them a merry Christmas represent the beliefs of the majority of Christians.</p>
<p>“I am glad that you shared your dreidel/Kwanzaa story. When my youngest was in a public elementary/middle school there were Christmas cookies baked, various holiday songs sung, and potato latkes eaten. The potato latkes came to a halt when, as the story was told, one parent marched into the principal’s office and stated that her son is a Christian and will not be exposed to Latkes. This is a potato pancake, so what is the harm? Well, I had been told that this mother threatened to sue the school! Anyway, my son had Christmas cookies, and holiday songs, but the Jewish tradition of latkes were taken away that year.”</p>
<p>That’s terrible, and what happened negatively affected all of the school, not just the Jewish kids. If that had happened at my kids’ school, I would have complained even though I’m not Jewish. Fair is fair. As long as sharing one’s culture doesn’t mean trying to convert someone to one’s religion, people should be able to share their cultures in schools. That’s how kids develop an awareness of the world, and how they develop open mindedness. </p>
<p>I hadn’t realized what a small Jewish population there has been at my kids’ schools and in our city. Why? Younger S especially always has had a very diverse group of friends, including Jewish ones. I hadn’t realized that the Jews who were his friends were the only Jews in his class.</p>