Title: Religion in Public Schools | Lawyers.com
Headings: Religion in Public Schools
Religion in Public Schools
Prayer in School: Personal vs. School-Sponsored
Prayers and Religious Expression by Student Speakers at School Events
School Celebrations of Religious Holidays
Religion in the Classroom and in Homework
No Discrimination Against Religious Literature or Clubs
Speaking With a Lawyer

Content: However, some courts have held that school officials may prevent students from delivering invocations as part of graduation ceremonies or giving commencement speeches that included Christian comments meant to convert their classmates. And the Supreme Court has held that a high school violated the establishment clause by arranging for students to give invocations over the public address system at football games, even though students created and led the prayers ( Santa Fe Independent School Dist. v. Doe, 530 U.S. 290 (2000)). School Celebrations of Religious Holidays
Public schools need to be careful when they celebrate religious holidays. Schools may not put up explicitly religious symbols (like a nativity scene or menorah) unless they’re part of a larger holiday display that’s not religious. A display that includes symbols from several different religions may be seen as having the secular purpose of promoting tolerance and respect for all religions. As for holiday programs, the rule is similar. In general, holiday assemblies may include religious music, literature, or art—as long as it has an educational purpose, such as furthering students’ knowledge and appreciation of diverse religious heritages. This standard can get tricky. Depending on the context, courts may find that presentations like “living nativity scenes” are endorsements of Christianity, even when they’re a part of a larger program that isn’t explicitly religious.