>>Presumably, your parents talked to you about what they believed and how what you saw in school was different.

Probably- I don't remember it being a big deal, though. Much less of a deal than the Chinese kids in my daughters' school today who speak little English on arrival and must fit in.

>>Public schools are for all kids, and when they tacitly establish one religion over others, they're telling the other kids that they're are not as important as the ones whose religion has been chosen.

Depends when it started. If it's been happening for years, then it's a Tradition. If it began last month, then I agree it's inappropriate. IMHO it's quite good training for life if kids understand that traditions have value and don't necessarily mean you're not as good if there's no other consequence than a plaque or song. Labels on money for example- some of these things have been there for a while and were put there for a reason. Why not reflect on the history that caused it to be rather than perceive it as a slight. I'm not advocating bigotry in any form but I'd hate to see the world expressed in sterile grey in case somebody can be offended at some aspect or other.

FWIW, this was written by a US University Chancellor in 1978 in his School Journal: ""Pope Paul VI, archpriest of Satan, a deceiver and an anti-Christ, has, like Judas, gone to his own place...." and you can imagine the rest. That was in living memory for many of us here. In 2010 in Pennsylvania I was given a pamphlet entitled "10 Reasons Why I Am Not a Roman Catholic" that clearly was written in similar period by a similar author and still is fervently believed by some today. There is malice and ignorance out there. There's also entrenched unemployment and a middle class being scalped to further enrich the rich. There's a lot going on apart from anthems, Christmas trees and plaques. Seems to me we don't want to start sweating the small stuff just yet, or rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. JMHO.