( CNN ) Schools in New York City have decided to observe two Muslim holidays and close schools for them . After all , for decades , kids have gotten Christian and Jewish holidays off . Why not add Muslim holidays to the list ? Conservative Family Research Council president Tony Perkins went predictably apoplectic , saying that it was evidence of `` discrimination '' against Christians . To Perkins , `` family '' apparently does not include `` non-Christian families . '' Perkins ' position is that kids get Easter and Christmas off , but we call those holidays `` winter break '' and `` spring break . '' I hate to ally myself with such people , but I sort of agree that Mayor Bill de Blasio 's decision is a bad one . However , not for the reasons expressed by Perkins . I simply find it to be a problematic endorsement of religion by the secular state . I can not support the government endorsing religion of any kind . There was once a time when most people considered the United States to be a `` Christian '' country . However , that notion was never the intent of our founders and is not consistent with a pluralistic and enlightened nation . Unfortunately , even recent events have shown us that there are a lot of ignorant Americans who still think Islam is `` un-American . '' Because of that , I support measures that tell Muslims that they are our brothers and sisters , too . Nobody should feel less welcome or `` American '' on the basis of the religion they practice , or whether they believe in any religion at all . But this is the wrong way . First of all , virtually every recognized religion is practiced in New York City . Unfortunately , now only three of them have some kind of `` officially acknowledged '' status . Christians , Jews and Muslims have their holidays off , but what about New York 's other religions ? What about my religion ? March 6 has long been `` The Day of the Dude , '' and as a Dudeist minister , should I not demand respect for my beliefs , by insisting that the school district `` take 'er easy '' on that date every year ? Pastafarianism is a recognized religion . Pastafarians believe that every Friday is a holiday . Perhaps it is time for us all to be touched by the noodly appendage of the Flying Spaghetti Monster on a weekly basis . By selecting only three `` approved '' religions for respect , we send the message that we value the beliefs of some over those of others . Such a mentality has no place in a secular country -- even if we have a history of recognizing some Abrahamic religions ' holidays . Because therein lies a theory behind the establishment clause . We do n't rank belief systems here . In Lemon v. Kurtzman , 403 U.S. 602 ( 1971 ) , the U.S. Supreme Court gave us a three-part test to determine whether governmental conduct violates the Establishment Clause : ( 1 ) the governmental action must have a secular purpose , ( 2 ) it must have a principal or primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion , and ( 3 ) it may not foster an excessive governmental entanglement with religion . De Blasio 's action violates , I think , all three prongs . De Blasio should have used this opportunity to change direction , and state that there would be no official religious holidays — that selecting just the Abrahamic vein of religion as officially recognized by the state is simply improper . This would send the right message -- that the government is not going to get involved in matters of religion , at all . This is not to say that I disapprove of any `` cultural '' days off , or even simply pragmatic decisions . For example , in some school districts in New York , 60 % of the students were absent on Chinese New Year . The New York State legislature authorized local districts to call off school that day , as a practical approach to empty chairs . Further , it did not improperly send a message that certain religions were valued over others . I see no problem with kids taking religious days off , if their family 's beliefs require them to . Schools can accommodate that kind of thing as easily as they can accommodate kids who get stuck home with the flu . I do n't have a problem with even teaching about different religions ; in fact , I support doing so . But what de Blasio did here was wrong . Montgomery County , Maryland , officials handled it the right way ; they removed all mention of religious holidays on their 2015-16 school calendar , including Rosh Hashana and Christmas . Those days are simply `` days off '' as far as the government is concerned . Myself , I intend to continue to observe The Day of the Dude every year by takin ' er easy for all you sinners . I do n't expect you to -- and as much as I would like the government to mandate that we all do so every March 6 , that would simply rot the Lemon , so to speak .
Marc Randazza : NY Mayor de Blasio says schools will observe two Muslim holidays . They should not be observing any religious holidays . Comment: Randazza : Why not observe MY religion : Day of the Dude ? Official observance of religious holidays has no place in secular society .