A new angle on religious discrimination

[eisely]

Never content to leave well enough alone, troublemaker that I am, I offer the following clipping. Presumably Merlyn Leroy would want all such symbols abolished. Those obnoxious Christians again....

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Suit Claims NYC Schools Discriminate Against Christians

By Jeff McKay

CNSNews.com Correspondent

December 11, 2002

 

(CNSNews.com) - During this holiday season, America's largest public school system is allowing the Menorah, a symbol of the Jewish faith; and the Star and Crescent, a symbol of Islam, to be displayed in its buildings. Nowhere in the New York City school buildings, however, will you find a Nativity scene, symbolic of the Christian faith.

 

When Andrea Skoros, a mother of two public school students from Queens, complained to school officials, she says she was rebuffed. As a result, both the Catholic League and the Thomas More Law Center have sued on Skoros' behalf, alleging that the actions of the New York City Department of Education amounted to religious discrimination.

 

The lawsuit is centered on a school policy set forth by the chancellor of New York City schools that prohibits the display of Nativity scenes in the city's schools during the Christmas season, but expressly permits and encourages these schools to display during certain religious holidays and seasonal observances the Jewish Menorah and the Islamic Star and Crescent.

 

"That policy expressly allows the display of secular holiday symbol decorations such as Christmas trees, Menorahs and the Star and Crescent," according to William Donohue, the president of the Catholic League.

 

"It is outrageous that New York City public school officials allow some religious symbols in the schools every December while banning others. Catholics are sick and tired of being discriminated against by bureaucrats who tell us we should be satisfied with a Christmas tree in the schools," Donohue added.

 

Skoros' two elementary school children attend the Edith Bergtraum School and P.S. 184, both located in Queens, New York. At P.S. 184, attended by her youngest son, there are three Menorahs and a three-foot tall Christmas tree inside, near the building's entrance, according to the lawsuit.

 

The U.S. Supreme Court, in past rulings, has labeled the Christmas tree a secular symbol and the Jewish Menorah a religious symbol, according to Richard Thompson, executive director and chief counsel for the Thomas More Law Center.

 

So, if New York City public school officials allow Menorahs to be displayed in their buildings, they should allow a Christian equivalent, Thompson argues.

 

"When you disallow the Nativity Scene by calling it religious and allow other symbols categorized as religious, then you are underlying the fact [that] it becomes a less favorable religion. Legally, this is an issue of parity," stated Thompson.

 

The Thomas More Law Center says it has in evidence a memo sent to teachers in the New York City public schools approving of the display of symbols related to the African-American cultural holiday of Kwanzaa. The Menorah and the Star and Crescent were also listed as acceptable, according to the memo, but no symbols of Christianity were mentioned.

 

"They (New York City Department of Education) say they are following the Constitution. We disagree," added Thompson.

 

Calls to the office of the New York City school chancellor and to the principal of P.S. 184 were not returned.

 

In legal papers filed by the Thomas More Law Center, the goal of the suit is not to erase religion from the public schools, but to ensure all religions, including Christianity, are represented equally.

 

"We're looking for a declaration that the current policy is unconstitutional, and we request in our suit that an injunction is enforced against this policy," said Thompson.

 

"All we have done is attacked a policy we feel is discriminatory," he added.

 

 

[Merlyn_LeRoy]

 

Hey, don't blame me for this mess; people who wanted government religious symbols on public property succeeded in arguing that menorahs and christmas trees are 'secular', so the school is simply following a policy of only allowing 'secular' decorations.

[OldGreyEagle]

I have to ask the Jewish members of the forum, arent Menorahs a religious symbol?

[berkshirescouter]

In my mind a Menorah is a religious symbol, if it had a Star of David on it. If its just candles then its just candles. Just like a Christmass tree with no overt religous symbols on it is just a tree. It is what you make of it. In the same thinking the Star and Cresent are the symbols of Islam. Allow all symbols (of students represented at the school) or none. Then live and let live.

[Glenn]

According to Dr. Laura Schlesinger (no Jewish expert but definitely an orthodox Jew), the Menorah is a religious symbol.

 

In fact, if you re-read the article, it mentions that the Supreme Court has ruled before that the Menorah is a religious symbol.

[littlebillie]

the menorah is the same kind of religious symbol as a Christmas tree, in the view of many, and possibly moreso, in the view of many others.

 

while Christmas can indeed (some say should) be celbrated without a tree, the Menorah is a necessary part of the Festival of Lights, and symbolizes the miracle that it celebrates.

 

the Menorah is older than the Magen David (Star of David) - at least in its religious symbolism, according to many scholars. from http://www.menorah.org/starofdavid.html

 

"With Jewish emancipation following the French Revolution, Jews began to look for a symbol to

represent themselves comparable to the cross used by their Christian neighbors. They settled upon the six-pointed star, principally because of its heraldic associations. Its geometric design and architectural features greatly appealed to synagogue architects, most of whom were non-Jews. Ironically, the religious Jews of Europe and the Orient, already accustomed to seeing hexagrams on kabbalistic amulets, accepted this secularized emblem of the enlightened Jews as a legitimate Jewish symbol, even though it had no religious content or scriptural basis.

 

When Theodor Herzl looked for a symbol for the new Zionist movement, he chose the Star of David

because it was so well known and also because it had no religious associations. In time, it appeared in the center of the flag of the new Jewish state of Israel and has become associated with national redemption.

 

During the Holocaust, the Nazis chose the *yellow star as an identifying badge required on the garments of all Jews. After the war, Jews turned this symbol of humiliation and death into a badge of honor. "

 

Regardless - display must necessarily be all or none, otherwise we have problems with establishment, even if the intent is more along the lines of religious affirmative action...