[blush]

Very interesting topic.

We have a long history in public schools of separation of church and state. We have a conflicting arrangement of freedom to practice religion. How do we honor both?

Atlast mentioned more religious education/awareness. As a teacher, I am very uncomfortable with this idea, outside of a cultural context. It can easily blur the line between creating well-informed students, and teachers taking the opportunity to promote one religion over another. It would require a background in religions that teachers simply don't have. The expectation that teachers delve into something as personal as religion is a bit much.

For me, it boils down to what does our society expect from public schools. Ideally, education, right? If our purpose is to education, we should create an atmosphere where race, class and religion are neutralized so the focus is on education. However, each of those components affects not only the student and how the student learns, but the teacher and how the teacher teaches. It becomes a question of honoring each child as an individual where they can learn in a safe environment. Then the focus becomes not on what we do, but how we do it. If we can create an accepting classroom for children where they feel valued for who they are, and if we promote this atmosphere school-wide, then we have made more in-roads for that child than any school holiday (religious or otherwise) will ever be able to do.