How should religious objections to holidays be handled?
Students from certain religious traditions may ask to be excused from classroom discussions or activities related to particular holidays. For example, holidays such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day, which are considered by many people to be secular, are viewed by others as having religious overtones. Excusal requests may be especially common in the elementary grades, where holidays are often marked by parties and similar nonacademic activities. Such requests should be routinely granted in the interest of creating good policy and upholding the religious-liberty principles of the First Amendment. In addition, some parents and students may make requests for excusals from discussions of certain holidays, even when these holidays are treated from an academic perspective. If these requests are focused on a limited, specific discussion, administrators should grant such requests, in order to strike a balance between the student’s religious freedom and the school’s interest in providing a well-
Students from certain religious traditions may ask to be excused from classroom discussions or activities related to particular holidays. For example, holidays such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day, which are considered by many people to be secular, are viewed by others as having religious overtones. Excusal requests may be especially common in the elementary grades, where holidays are often marked by parties and similar non-academic activities. Such requests should be routinely granted in the interest of creating good policy and upholding the religious liberty principles of the First Amendment. In addition, some parents and students may make requests for excusals from discussions of certain holidays, even when these holidays are treated from an academic perspective.
Students from certain religious traditions may ask to be excused from classroom discussions or activities related to particular holidays. For example, holidays such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day, which are considered by many people to be secular, are viewed by others as having religious overtones. Excusal requests may be especially common in the elementary grades, where holidays are often marked by parties and similar nonacademic activities. Such requests should be routinely granted in the interest of creating good policy and upholding the religious liberty principles of the First Amendment. In addition, some parents and students may make requests for excusals from discussions of certain holidays, even when these holidays are treated from an academic perspective.
Related Questions
- An individual has religious or cultural objections to certain numbers or digits in the original number; (See "Can I request a new SSN because I object to digits used?")
- Do staff have the right to take time off to observe their religious holidays and festivals?
- How should religious objections to holidays be handled?
