<p>When Son arrived at the church yesterday for ours, he was standing next to a mom and daugther who were complaining that this was a religious service and they should not be required to attend. They typically have about 20% participation. How did 470 other students/parents figure out that the service was optional and this mom/daughter didn’t? (And no, they weren’t new to the school.)</p>
<p>I moved from New England to Florida (not the Miami area) 2 years ago - have one child who just graduated from a private high school, and another who is finishing 9th grade at local public school.</p>
<p>I had never heard of such a thing as a ‘Baccalaureate’ Program before arriving here. After asking around last year (when I saw it in the schedule of required events for seniors) my daughter still had almost no idea what it even is…all we knew was that it’s held at a church, but that wasn’t too surprising seeing as the school in question is an independent private school with a religious orientation/connection to a mainline Christian denomination (don’t want to be too specific here).</p>
<p>We discovered this year (her graduation year) that attendance at the ‘Bac’, a very explicitly Christian service, is mandatory. It happened this year to coincide with a previous family obligation so we requested an exemption for my daughter, which was granted. So we happily managed to avoid the issue. Also, I note that about 20% of the graduating class is Jewish. Well, you might say, it’s an openly Christian-connected school, so why should we complain… Back in New England, schools that are the peers of this school in general are no longer explicitly religious and the situation here has been an ongoing education in ‘difference’ for us.</p>
<p>We discovered that the local public high schools also hold Baccalaureate services! I don’t know yet if they are considered ‘mandatory’ - I doubt it…I think. This is all outlandishly amazing to me - just when you think America is a pretty homogenous culture, it turns out not to be so at all. I’m telling you, 100 combined years of life in the Northeast, many years of public schooling, the occassional high school graduation all left my husband and me with absolutely no idea of the existence of this event.</p>
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<p>I agree completely. There shouldn’t be religious observances mixed in with public school events. Separation of church and state. People are free to include religion in their private celebrations.</p>
<p>Missypie, I assure you that our family is definitely “fazed” by inappropriate someone-else’s-religion content! Our kids’ private secular high school holds a “Baccalaureate /Senior Banquet” every year; in a nod to the religious part, there are very brief readings from the New Testament, the Hebrew Bible and maybe the Koran–jym can correct me because she probably remembers–but the event is predominantly non-religious. The main part of the evening is the Senior Banquet for seniors and family, with a video running of the kids’ pictures throughout the years, a speech by the president of the senior class, and the giving of various awards other than the ones to be announced at graduation the following morning. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!</p>
<p>D is the only Jewish senior in our public HS and we had a similar issue with music at graduation. I saw a copy of last year’s graduation program which contained several Christian music selections. When I called the principal, who is new this year, he assured me that would not be the case this year. D came home the same day and mentioned that she’d overheard a couple of choir kids complaining about a last minute change to the graduation program, so it appears the principal intervened. Graduation was yesterday - the music was beautiful and 100% secular.</p>
<p>The sermon yesterday was about Jesus teaching not to worry about anything (the “lilies of the field” scripture). As an ecumenical preface, the speaker said, “No matter what your faith, I’m sure you would agree that Jesus was one of the greatest teachers of all time.” I wondered what the parents in the room would have thought if he had read from the Qur’an and said, “I’m sure you would agree that Mohammed was one of the greatest teachers of all time.” </p>
<p>But he didn’t need the preface, because it was a Christian crowd. That was my original point…it’s Christianity “lite” so as not to be offensive, but the non-Christians don’t come anyway. Just a pretty silly event to keep having. (Sort of like cities claiming they are putting up a “holiday tree” instead of a Christmas tree…)</p>
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<p>Glad they paid attention. There is a teacher at our dance studio who likes to choreograph lyrical and ballet to contemporary Christian music. I guess little Pyusha *could *be Christian…</p>
<p>Bacc at D’s Catholic HS featured a Catholic priest, an Imam, a Rabbi, an Episcopalian priest, and a Lutheran minister. All these clergy had kids in the graduating class of 148. (well…with the exception of Father Joe. 
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It was a nice experience. Our little atheist D sang the closing song.
Also…the Buddhist and Hindi student were invited to bring members of their clergy, but declined.</p>
<p>Ah, finally there’s one. Do you think it was well received, or was it such a watered down version of all of those faiths that no one appreciated it?</p>
<p>It was VERY well received. The fact that all of these clergy had kids in the graduating class added to the truly interdenominational nature of the ceremony. (Even though at its core it was a Catholic institution) I might add that mass was not said. The morning of the Bacc they always have a traditional mass for family and students who wish to attend.</p>
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<p>That was probably the key to such a success. Since they were all parents, they probably weren’t walking on eggshells planning the service. A public school would have to get parents representative of all faiths to serve on the planning committee, otherwise it could end up ridiculous if not offensive.</p>
<p>At my sons’ HS, baccalaureate (sp?) is completely secular. The salutatorian addresses the crowd, a favorite teacher or administrator gives a speech, and there’s a video and a slide show recapping the highlights of the year and showing all seniors in casual poses… </p>
<p>At S1’s college baccalaureate, they made a point – and it was a well-received point – of discussing how the ceremony was 50 years ago, when Christian ministers spoke. But at this event, in 2007, they purposely had a Muslim, a Hindu, and a Jew provide music and prayers from their own heritage. It was a great attempt to broaden the perspective. (Of course, atheists were still ignored.)</p>
<p>I taught at a private college in the Bible Belt, nominally affiliated with a rather liberal Protestant denomination. Baccalaureate was definitely Christian, but the speaker was usually non-religious. Although my last year there, the speaker managed to insult about 4 ethnic groups in the course of his speech. I was offended to the point of wanting to walk out. However, since I was seated directly behind him and he would have had to move to let me by, I sat still, although I was pleased to see some audience members walk out. </p>
<p>My understanding was that it was illegal in public schools, although I know that is widely ignored in many areas of the country. However, I also thought prayer was illegal, and I can’t tell you how many public dinners/events at a public institution in the same state began with an invocation.</p>
<p>I’m another who has never heard of this, and who also feels that it is inappropriate in a public school.</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t want to hear a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Catholic, a Muslim, a Jew or ANY religious representative at public school events. I want freedom FROM religion on those occasions. 
A private school can, of course, do whatever they want. The interfaith efforts of the Catholic school upthread sound very nice. (Although it’s too bad they didn’t include a humanist! Three cheers for the atheist D. ) </p>
<p>And despite the fact that I am more or less an atheist, I go to a UU church every Sunday and tolerate “god talk,” translating it to something that is meaningful to me. Two friends and I sang a trio version of Precious Lord at our music service last Sunday, and <em>I</em> suggested it. But I choose to go to church and expose myself to people’s varying beliefs there.</p>
<p>bah, religion.</p>
<p>I think it’s optional to attend a Baccalaureate mass, we also need to respect people in different denominations… Thinking it would be unfair, 'coz it’s compulsory to pay for the event? Yes, I strongly agree with that… So what are other suggestions be?</p>
<p>[Swarthmore</a> College :: Commencement 2009 :: Baccalaureate Address: Maurice Eldridge '61](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/x26109.xml]Swarthmore”>Baccalaureate Address: Maurice Eldridge '61 :: Past Commencements :: Swarthmore College)</p>
<p>My baccalaureate service in the 80’s was held in a large Protestant church. It was not religious but rather a reflective time for all of us seniors…kind of the quiet event in between proms, picnics, senior breakfasts and grad nights. The seniors planned it with the senior advisor. We had our foreign exchange students sing “Eres Tu”, some poetry readings (not religious), a ballet performed, speeches and a slide show of the seniors put to music. I can’t recall any prayers, ministers or Christian hymns being sung. The church was a nice setting because it was big enough to hold everyone, it was peaceful in its setting and it was centrally located to the student residence boundaries. It was a lovely evening, a nice way to say ‘goodbye’ to our high school years. Not sure why schools can’t manage something similar.</p>
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<p>At graduation, the program said that the senior class president would be doing the “Invocation.” We exected a prayer. Instead, he “invoked” his classmates to do good things in the future.</p>