Know Your Rights & Obligations Rosh Hashanah: The beginning of the Jewish New Year and first of the High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a ten-day period of penitence and spiritual renewal. Some adherents to Judaism only observe the first day of the holiday and others observe both days.
Yom Kippur: Known as the “Day of Atonement,” Yom Kippur marks the end of the Ten Days of Penitence that begin with Rosh Hashanah.
Every fall, students and employees who…
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For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the High Holidays, are celebrated by Jewish people all over the world. The High Holidays fall on different days each year. For the specific dates each year, check our Calendar of Observances.
These and other Jewish holidays fall on different days in our calendar because they follow the Jewish calendar, which has a different number of days than our calendar. The Jewish calendar is a Soli-lunar calendar. …
For Educators Individuals, including parents, and groups who have no formal relationship to a school (Third Parties) may distribute religious materials, including Bibles, to students outside of school premises. They may also discuss religious matters with students.
Third-party materials or publications of a religious viewpoint may be distributed on- campus to the same extent distribution of third-party secular materials is permitted. However, courts have applied different rules to…
For Educators The First Amendment's free speech clause provides students with a right to free expression in public schools, including a limited right to distribute religious and non-religious materials within public schools.1 The specific limitations depend on whether the materials are distributed within or outside school-sponsored activities. Additionally, the age of the students affects these rights: high-school students have greater freedom of expression compared to elementary school…
For Educators During school hours, outside religious organizations and clubs must not meet at public schools. After school hours, such groups may meet at a public school only if the school permits other outside clubs and organizations to meet at the same time, under the same terms and conditions, and does not endorse the club or organization's religious activity.1 2
SPECIFIC ISSUES & QUESTIONS
May religious clubs meet in public schools?
During school hours: An outside religious…
For Educators Release time in the public schools refers to programs in which students are released from school early to attend religious classes off school premises. Participating students must have permission from their parents. Nonparticipating students remain in school. Such programs may be constitutional if the religious classes take place off school grounds, if no public school funds are expended, and if school officials or teachers do not promote program attendance through coercion or…
For Educators School-sponsored displays of religious symbols, texts or artwork on school property are impermissible unless a display is integrated into an appropriate secular curriculum.1 2 The fact that a display is donated by a private group or paid for by private funds will not affect whether it is permissible under the Establishment Clause.3
SPECIFIC ISSUES & QUESTIONS
May a school permanently display the Ten Commandments within classrooms or on school property?
No. A…
For Educators Public schools may not teach religion, although teaching about religion in a secular context is permitted.1 The Bible may be taught in a school, but only for its historical, cultural or literary value and never in a devotional, celebratory or doctrinal manner, or in such a way that encourages acceptance of the Bible as a religious document.2
SPECIFIC ISSUES & QUESTIONS
What distinguishes "teaching religion" from "teaching about religion"?
Religion may be presented…
For Educators Organized prayer in the public school setting, whether in the classroom or at a school-sponsored event, is unconstitutional. The only type of prayer that is constitutionally permissible is private, voluntary student prayer that does not interfere with the school's educational mission.
SPECIFIC ISSUES & QUESTIONS
May students pray?
Students have the right to engage in voluntary individual prayer that is not coercive and does not substantially disrupt the school's…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Since its founding in 1913, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has been guided by its mandate of combating bigotry, bias and discrimination, and securing the rights and liberties of all citizens of the United States. ADL deeply believes deeply in the importance of preserving and safeguarding freedom of religion in our increasingly pluralistic nation. Consequently, we believe that government should neither promote nor be hostile to religion.:…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Religious explanations for humankind, the diversity of life on earth, or the universe, including Creationism, Creation Science, or Intelligent Design may not be taught as science under any circumstances. Evolution - the only scientific explanation for the history of life on earth - must only be taught as scientific fact.
SPECIFIC ISSUES & QUESTIONS
What is Science?
According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), science…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers The First Amendment allows for mandatory uniform policies or dress codes in the public schools. However, it also generally permits exemptions from such policies or codes for students to wear religious clothes, head coverings, symbols or other attire. Under many circumstances policies or codes that prohibit students from wearing religious clothes or other attired are unconstitutional or unlawful.
SPECIFIC ISSUES & QUESTIONS
Under…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers The Equal Access Act (" EAA") (20 U. S. C. §§ 4071-74) requires public secondary schools which meet certain criteria to treat all student-initiated groups equally, regardless of the religious, political, philosophical or other orientation of the groups. This means that to the extent that a school board opens up its school facilities to any student-led and run non- curriculum related group, it must uniformly open its facilities to…
For Educators Every December, public school students, parents, teachers and administrators face the difficult task of acknowledging the various religious and secular holiday traditions celebrated during that time of year. Teachers, administrators and parents should try to promote greater understanding and tolerance among students of different traditions by taking care to adhere to the requirements of the First Amendment.
The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion to all Americans …
For Educators Every December, public school students, parents, teachers and administrators face the difficult task of acknowledging the various religious and secular holiday traditions celebrated during that time of year. Teachers, administrators and parents should try to promote greater understanding and tolerance among students of different traditions by taking care to adhere to the requirements of the First Amendment.
The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion to all Americans …
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Most people love a celebration! Adults flutter around busily preparing for the festivities. Children are abuzz with excitement. Special foods are eaten, special heirlooms brought down from the shelf. Traditions are passed down from generation to generation.
While children should have an opportunity to learn about and share information about the important holidays and celebrations in their lives, celebrating specific holidays in a school…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Introduction
Graduation from high school is a milestone in the lives of young adults. It is a time for families to take pride in the achievements of their children. Particularly in the public schools, graduation ceremonies bring together students and families from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds to collectively celebrate their graduates’ successful completion of high school.
Although often well intended,…
Early Childhood Question Corner
Common themes appear in holidays and celebrations across many cultures. By connecting themes, as suggested in the Question Corner installment "How can I plan inclusive holiday celebrations?" you can show children that holidays and celebrations are an expression of cultural and religious pride, and help them understand the commonality of certain human feelings, celebrations and their meaning. For example, by trying the following activity, Looking…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers The issue of the proper role of religion in the public schools continues to be the subject of great controversy. School officials, parents and students—as well as lawyers and judges—wrestle with these questions every day. However, clear standards and guidance are elusive. This handbook will help provide a roadmap through this terrain.
It is important to bear in mind that this issue is extremely complex. Decision makers must…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Winter is a festive time of year because so many holidays are celebrated by people from different religions, cultures and races. We spend time with family and friends, connect with our faith or culture, give and receive gifts and enjoy special foods and treats. However, this time of year—especially in schools and whether it's in-person, online or hybrid—can be a time where some children can feel uncomfortable, excluded, insulted…