> I objected strongly in my HS to the practice of foreign language classes learning a carol in that language and then singing it in an all-school assembly. The idea of learning a song in language class seems great; it provides a practical experience. But making it a carol made (and makes, to this day) non-Christian students uncomfortable. (BTW, my "reward" for writing an opinion piece in the school paper on this topic was someone etching a swastika into my locker.)
>
>Obviously, that's horrible if someone etched a swastika and I hope the person was caught/punished. I got similar treatment because I didn't believe in anything. (Though my personality was perverse enough that I rather enjoyed the reactions)
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>But I still have a question about the concept of being made to feel uncomfortable/unwelcome. Those are nearly impossible to evaluate, and there's a real slippery-slope. There are already people in this country who feel making kids recite the Pledge of Allegiance (not just the "under god", but the entire thing) can alienate them. I don't claim to have all the answers on this - I don't think anyone can - but I personally have never been impressed with the merits of the "uncomfortable/unwelcome" argument.

We're talking about kids. It doesn't take much to make one feel like an outsider, and other kids are always happy to try to do that. There are enough ways some kids stand out as different; we don't need to add any.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/us/rhode-island-city-enraged-over-school-prayer-lawsuit.html