Should public schools celebrate religious holidays? Easter and Passover are just around the corner. Is it educational for public schools to celebrate these holidays, or unconstitutional?

• Author: Murugesan, Vidhya
• Position: Opinion

YES From kindergarten to high school, I've been fortunate enough to be exposed to a wide array of cultures. This often included participating in the religious holidays celebrated by my classmates: everything from Easter egg hunts to menorah lightings.

Though Creationism in science classes and school-wide prayer have no place in public schools, coming in contact with holy celebrations from around the world can promote a culture consciousness that is irreplaceable. As long as several religious holidays are given equal standing in classrooms and administrators take care not to advocate any particular religion or induce devotion or worship of any kind, there should be no reason for a church vs. state conflict.

In almost all cases, culture and religious holidays are inextricably bound. Students should never be required to "check their culture at the door." By forbidding them to participate in religious festivities, schools would only succeed in depriving students from interacting with traditions and backgrounds other than their own.

Living in a multicultural society like the United States is an advantage that most people around the world do not have. Why should we scoff at the opportunities that are available to us because of that diversity? Taking the steps to understand other cultures, such as participating in religious holidays, is instrumental in fostering true tolerance and political correctness should not get in the way of letting students experience that.

---VIDHYA MURUGESAN, 17 West Windsor, N.J.

NO Although I am quite religious, I feel there is no need to openly celebrate religion in school. By celebrating religious holidays, the school system is breaking apart a diverse...