ABSTRACT
The United States has become increasingly pluralistic; observance of religious holidays has caused conflict about the proper role of government in recognizing religious holidays and about the rights of individuals in the workplace and in public schools to observe religious holidays. Many civil libertarians have welcomed decisions, but others take a strict separationist stance, believing that religious conflict is best avoided by keeping all religious holiday displays off public property. Supreme Court pronouncements on religion in public schools indicate that Christmas, Hanukkah, and other religious holidays may be observed in their secular forms. Also, teachers may teach objectively about the religious aspects when appropriate as part of secular instruction. Religious holidays also raise issues involving religious liberty. Whereas the Free Exercise Clause protects against government restrictions on religious liberty, federal law protects private-sector employees who wish to be absent from work on their religious holidays.
