Religion In Schools: My Own Thoughts

I was a student in the NYC public schools in the 1940's and 50's. I was the
child of a non religious Jewish family attending a public elementary school
in Queens. Once a week, there was an assembly for all the grades. It began
with the Pledge of Allegiance ("under God" was not part of the pledge back
then), the singing of the National Anthem, a selection read from the New
Testament, and the singing of one or more Protestant hymns. Everyone was
required to participate. When I questioned all of this at home, my father
said, "Don't forget - this is a Christian country". To me, that meant we
Jews were here on suffrance. We should keep a low profile and not complain.
We could take Jewish holidays off from school without negative consequences.
We sang Christmas songs at Christmas time. We did not sing Chanukah songs
at Chanukah.

When my oldest daughter graduated from public high school, a Protestant
minister said a prayer as part of the graduation ceremony. No one
questioned a prayer at graduation and certainly, no one questioned a
Christian minister saying it.

From my point of view, prayers, hymns, Christmas caroles etc. should be
prohibited from being part of public school procedures. If kids want to
talk to each other about religion before and after school and during lunch
time and recess, that's fine. If they want to say prayers privately around
a flag pole, that's fine too. But when Religion becomes part of the school
day, it is invariably some form of Protestant religion and to children who
aren't Protestant, it is as if our government is saying that this particular
religion is the correct one and all others are not. And what about those of
us who don't follow a religion? What about those of us benighted souls who
are atheists? In this "Christian" country, are we to be marginalized?

Many years later, my daughter graduated from Turo Law School. She attended
law school as an adult. I had no idea that it was a Jewish school. I have
to say that when a rabbi gave the convocation, I was absolutely thrilled.
I'm not religious, but to see a rabbi having a part in a graduation was a
new experience and an absolute joy.

Posted by Miriam V.