“Nothing in the First Amendment converts our public schools into religion-free zones, or requires all religious expression to be left behind at the schoolhouse door.” President Clinton July 12, 1995               Research Resources   Liberty Council www.lc.org 1-800-671-1776   Gateways to Better Education www.gtbe.org 1-888-706-5601

Telling the Christmas Story in the public schools: A legally defensible approach Christmas is a national holiday in America.  It is legal to tell the historical story of how Christmas began in a public school classroom.  Although public schools may not provide religious instruction, they may teach about religion, including the Bible.  They may teach about religious holidays, but they cannot observe holidays as religious events or encourage students to do so. It is legal to present the Christian point of view in the classroom, but not to present it as the only point of view.  For example, if a student asks you “Is the Bible really true?” a flat “Yes” answer may not be legally defensible.  A better answer would be “That is what Christians believe,” or “That is what I believe.  Other people may believe differently.”  Public school students must also always have the “Right of Refusal.”  That is why you can’t slip a religious tract into every student’s backpack or ask a classroom of students to bow their heads and pray.                Why worry about being legally defensible?  If you follow the law, the teacher or principal can protect themselves and also defend your legal right to freedom of speech to someone who objects to having the historical basis of Christmas presented in the classroom.               Remember that God is very, very big.  Don’t be afraid to take advantage of your legal rights.   Ask for the opportunity to let students know how Christmas began.  A growing number of them have never heard that Christ was born.  You may be offering a starting point for many students that one day results in them believing and receiving Christ for all eternity.