Every holiday season, educators walk a fine line as they try not to violate federal law, while at the same time allowing children in public schools to learn about and enjoy different religions.
Given that multiculturalism is the essence of Southern California, schools increasingly attempt to incorporate all cultures into their pre-holiday programs, they are forbidden to celebrate the religious aspect behind these holidays.
The trick is to keep it instructional, since schools are bound by a mandated separation of church and state, dictating that religious matters should not be taught in schools.
“We often try to have people who are members of different cultures and groups come and speak to the children,” said Pat Cairns, principal at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School.
“We try to represent a wide variety of interests and present it in an instructional way,” she said.
The Santa Monica — Malibu Unified School District has a policy stating “it is not permissible for students in public school classrooms to celebrate religious holidays.” However, the very next sentence states: “Learning about different holiday celebrations is acceptable and encouraged.”
But the way public schools increasingly restrict religious inclusion in various projects becomes confusing for some.
Julie Post, a Malibu mother, feels that children who attend public schools get mixed messages about the holidays.
“It seems that we have been constricted more and more each year,” said Post, who has a daughter attending fourth grade.
She explained recently, while the children were working on holiday-themed crafts, that the teacher in a local elementary school received a notice from the office indicating the children were not allowed to do anything bordering on Christmas topics. The teacher had to ask the children to put their projects away.
But Post’s fourth-grade child was confused because she also sings in a chorus that performs Christmas and Hanukah songs, and she does not understand why they are allowed to perform the songs but not allowed to work on the holiday craft projects.
If children or parents don’t want to participate in something, they can have an alternate assignment. “We try to respect any religious belief or a lack thereof,” said Cairns.
Others feel the matter is handled well by the schools.
“So far, I have seen that they are actually trying to bring all the religions to the children,” said Jutta Weber, a German nanny who has been caring for three children in Malibu for 13 years.
“I found that they do a very good job with that,” said Weber. “I think if you bring the children closer to all the different religions, they will have a better understanding for all the people.”
For example, Weber will introduce the German version of St. Nicholas Day to the children in school while other parents come in and introduce other special days to the students, based on a variety of cultures.
According to Post, Malibu remains a community where people of different religions come together.
“We can support each other,” said Post. “We don’t have to shut each other out.”