I applaud the School Committee’s decision not to close the schools for any religion’s holy days. Christian, Jew, Hindu, secular humanist, and atheist supported this policy as the only fully tolerant and inclusive position, a truly level playing field. We have not lost anything by this change; we have made moral progress. Far from feeling shame, we can be proud to have a clear and equitable policy.
Those who support the previous policy of closing the schools on some holy days of some religions don’t seem to be able to grasp the inequity and intolerance of it, and the exclusionary message this sends to those whose holy days are not included; that is, everyone but Christians and Jews. The argument about Christmas is not valid, as the Supreme Court has judged it a secular holiday, and if one knows the history of its observance, it is clearly so. We do not live in a Christian democracy that tolerates other religions; we live in humanity’s first secular republic—one that has codified in its law the right to individual religious belief.
We need to teach our children many things. Besides science, art, history, mathematics, languages, cultures, and religions, we need to teach them tolerance and critical thinking, charity to others and personal responsibility, respect of others and self-respect. The selective, exclusionary tolerance and muddy thinking of the previous policy did not teach our children well.
A. Charles Beddoe
Eldridge Road
