"Christmas" is Declared Unconstitutional in Lake Placid, New York

The New York Lake Placid Central School District held their regular Tuesday night board meeting, when Jordanna Mallach brought-up the issue of holiday decorations. Last year there was an issue with a sign that had the word "Christmas." Mallach repeatedly stressed her belief that the U.S. Supreme Court has banned the display of anything "Christmas" from public school. In the end, the Superintendent of schools, Ernie Stretton declared "The sign will not be up."

Church versus state; ‘Merry Christmas’ sign topic at school board meeting

The Catholic League has published The December Celebration, a program to bring clarity to the confusion over the celebration of Christmas in public schools.

Contrary to certain assumptions, the Supreme Court has never banned the acknowledgment of religious holidays in public schools, including Christmas. The Supreme Court has said that religion can be presented objectively as part of a secular program of education. That cannot be interpreted to mean that the Bible passages cannot be read in public schools in a secular context of study, or that explanations of the religious meaning of Christmas, or the right to display religious symbols of Christmas with other religious or secular symbols of the season can be banned. It is important to remember that, in any context, the public schools must not coerce students away from their religious beliefs, denigrate religion nor be hostile to religion.