<p>I am on the committee responsible for planning the Baccalaureate ceremony for the class of 2011. I have never been to one since I went to Catholic high school. One of my jobs is to find a poem or short essay that a parent could read to the class. Does anyone know of any that offer advice to our graduating students? I am also responsible for coming up with song ideas. If you have been to a Baccalaureate before, would you mind sharing what went on? Any song ideas, peoms, readings, decoration ideas, etc? Only 3 parents showed up at our meeting last night, so there is quite a bit of work to be divided among 3 of us.</p>
<p>LOL, I have SO waiting to hear about a meeting to plan Baccalaureate but haven’t heard a word. I assume that a group of Christian parents are already quietly planning the service.</p>
<p>Here’s my problem with Baccalaureate as “we” do it. They have to say it is ecumenical…but they have it in a Christian church and by ecumenical they mean a priest, and a Baptist pastor and a Lutheran pastor…they go out of their way not to be overtly Christian, but because of the location and the speakers being all Christian pastors, only the caucasian Christian kids attend. The African American kids don’t come. None of the Hindu or Muslim or Budist kids come. I’m assuming there are no athiests there either.</p>
<p>Desiderata</p>
<p>values from the author’s heartland and ACLU proof</p>
<p>Missypie, I hear what you are saying. Ours is held at the high school in the auditorium. However, looking at the program from last year, it was definitely Christian based. As a parent, how can I find out what religions the kids are? The only way I can really know what to include is if the kids who practice those religions come to the student planning meeting. This class lost a student a few years back. I am going to ask a student to create some kind of memorial tribue for the student. He is Hindu and now you have me wondering if he would want to participate in the ceremony? Our goal is for this to be inspirational. I’d like it to focus on all the service the class has done and the idea that they will continue it. I’d also like to focus on the gratitude they should have for all of their many blessings/ talents/ opportunities. I need to recruit adult speakers- like a priest or minister. I have no clue who to ask for the other faiths of our students. Only 3 parents showed up at our planning meeting last night which really disappointed me. And of course we’ll hear complaints if they don’t like what we include.</p>
<p>linnylu, I think it’s great that you want to make sure the baccalaureate program is inclusive. You may want to find out if your local area has an interfaith organization. If so, they’d probably be glad to give you some advice. You can probably just assume that many faiths are represented. When selecting speakers, I’d make sure that they are aware that you want an inclusive interfaith tone. If you don’t know much about specific ministers, it may be safer to go with one from a generally more open tradition such as Unitarian or United Church of Christ. Good luck, and keep in mind that with something like this, there is no way you can satisfy everyone!</p>
<p>You might think about inviting younger pastors (or priests, or rabbis, etc.)–maybe the associate pastors at larger churches. They probably work with youth, and are likely to be more attuned to inclusiveness. Also, they might be happy to get the opportunity.</p>
<p>Baccalaureate is a religous ceremony, so no way to avoid Christian stuff. We alternate churches each year. One year it’s at the Baptist, next year the Methodist, then the Christian church, etc. Sometimes if the kids have a favorite minister, he may be from the Luthern church, but then have the ceremony at another church. One minister will say an opening blessing, another ‘m-cee’ the ceremony, and yet another give the closing blessing. That way several religions are incorporated.</p>
<p>There is a simple reception in their hall, with tablecloths & a few centerpieces in the school colors. </p>
<p>Last year, the ladies from the church took care of setting up & serving at the reception. Seniors from Choir sing a song of their own. Almost all the kids attend our Baccalaureate, but they don’t really invite family. It’s usually just immediate family that comes.</p>
<p>I think it is nice that you have a committe to plan this. The parents aren’t involved in ours, I think the class decides & the officers call the churches, ministers, etc.</p>
<p>If for a public school be sure to NOT include any religious speakers. That is a huge step on people’s toes. Also likely illegal separation of church and state- public schools should not be in the business of recognizing any religion. It doesn’t matter if one in 2000 students is an atheist- you are preaching to them unfairly. If you can’t do a completely secular event, don’t do it. Those who want a spiritual/religious event can coordinate one within their likeminded social club.</p>
<p>For those of you offended by my remarks- do a test. Would you like it if you went to your public school sponsored event and had someone telling you your religious beliefs are wrong (they are, btw)? Invoking any higher power does that to a nonbeliever. Anyone with a religious title has an agenda that is contrary to someone else’s religious beliefs.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter what the community in general feels. The public schools are a refuge from those opinions. Too many school districts blur lines that should be contested. Do not contribute to the problem.</p>
<p>Okay, I’ve been viewing this site for awhile, but this thread has led me to join and respond. Baccalaureate services are religious services, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be exclusively Christian. Contact a Unitarian pastor for help planning the service - they are very familiar with making a spiritual experience acceptable and meaningful for people across the spectrum of theologies. One way is to compromise - not invoke the name of Christ (most Christians can deal with that for one service in the spirit of ecumenism), or to allow a variety of students or religious leaders to pray or pronounce blessings using their own terms for God. Why NOT use Allah and Great Spirit, etc. as well as Father? My husband and I have done several Baccalaureates and the best response we ever received to the sermon was one he preached using Shel Silverstein poems as the basis - the kids loved going back to favorite poems from their childhoods and the parents loved remembering their kids as little ones. This also helped the non-religious people attending to feel more comfortable during the service, hearing some familiar stuff amidst the unfamiliar scripture readings.
Linnylu - you can always go to Robert Fulgum (mispelled name, I think, but close). I think it’s in All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten (you could use that essay, too) but maybe in one of his other books - a commencement address in which he talked humorously about being grown up meaning now you had to clean the gunk out of the sink and such like that - funny and meaningful at the same time.</p>
<p>Our kid’s Baccalaureates were held in the auditorium of their high school. Although the students weren’t “recquired” to attend, their graduation gowns were passed out immediately after the service.</p>
<p>Our district no longer does Baccalaureate services - just award ceremony and graduation. I’m not sure anyone misses it. I’m a pastor and we honor our church’s graduates at a church service on the Sunday closest to the graduation. IMO, that’s where a religious service is most meaningful - in your home church where people know you, etc. Our district is so diverse that I’m sure it would be difficult to please everyone (and we’re in the heart of the Bible Belt.) Why do these traditions exist in public schools?</p>
<p>I agree. What is the point of all of this in a public school setting? Do your religious thing on your own time.</p>
<p>Madame - I get the Desiderata poem, but what do you mean by “Values from the author’s heartland and ACLU proof”?</p>
<p>From what I’ve read, baccalaureate services held at a public school are usually unconstitutional. Off- campus is okay. The only way an on-campus service would pass constitutional muster would be if those sponsoring the service PAID to rent the school facilities in the same way other groups do. Even then, no matter where it’s held, it’s not supposed to be heavily promoted by the school (I don’t think), nor is there to be any pressure put on students to attend.</p>
<p>A public school has no business endorsing the practice of religion. NO religion, not even “ecumenical” stuff.</p>
<p>MomCat2,
Try telling that to our local public school (the one that hands out graduation gowns immediately after the Baccalaureate service held in the school auditorium). My daughter - the child of two Protestant pastors - was ridiculed in front of the school band when she asked the director why they couldn’t play one Chanukah song to offset all of other concert songs, which were all Christian. The spring choral concert in my older daughter’s senior year was a requium mass! Every November the faculty in the district put on a concert to raise money for music scholarships, and with the exception of the heavy rock second half of the concert (which all the kids love, watching some pretty straight-laced teachers break loose), nearly all of the music performed is contemporary Christian praise music. I’m a pastor and enjoy praise music, as well as classic masses, but these concerts are neither the times or places for that.
I guess our district missed the memo on the Constitution and Bill of Rights!</p>
<p>Our town has the Baccalaureate in a large non-denominational Christian church but I don’t think there is anything remotely “religious” about it (it’s really the largest non-school/non-graduation facility in the area.) The junior parents sponsor it in terms of the reception afterward; drinks & finger foods. </p>
<p>The actual ceremony is VERY STUDENT ORIENTED. They ask a favorite teacher to speak but otherwise it is all about the kids. The senior principal introduces the different speakers/ performers. Student performances, student readings. Last year one kid read a Dr. Seuss passage, two boys did a funny give and take about going to our high school and living in the area. Choir sings the alma mater and another song. The kids wear their gowns & cords but not their caps. Since it was the first one I’d ever been to I was wondering how it would be, since there were a number of Jewish kids in the top 20, even though the school is 98% Christian. No mention of Jesus or God at all that I can recall.</p>
<p>What a lot of the songs, speeches, etc. did have as their theme was gratitude. It was right after the Nashville flooding (literally less than 2 weeks) and a lot of kids had either helped teachers/friends or had to deal with the flooding themselves. Plus the area is very much a happy bubble and it was nice to see the kids acknowledge that. </p>
<p>The reputation for Baccalaureate here is that is the more personal, relaxed and fun of the two ceremonies. Most families use it as their picture taking opportunity since graduation is a zoo. Way more pics of the kids together on FB after Baccalaureate than after graduation.</p>
<p>So interesting to read the different responses. I didn’t have any idea what baccalaureate was until D1 graduated a couple of years ago. My DDs attend an all girl college prep school–nondenominational. I also ushered at the event last year so I’ve seen two now and there is absolutely nothing about it that is religious so it must be up to each school/group planning the event as to how it chooses to execute it.</p>
<p>The seniors vote for 2 teachers to speak – the faculty do a combination of reminiscing about the girls and their time in high school combined with some advice-giving. Generally funny and touching. The girls process in and out…they have candles that are lit one by one, each selects a quote, phrase or saying and each takes a turn saying it (small school). Songs are sung–generally sentimental ones. Individual students or small groups of students might play an instrument, sing or dance. It’s very touching and sweet…tears flow among the students as well as many of the guests. The event is about an hour and it’s held the day before graduation–mandatory for all seniors.</p>
<p>Our local public high school also holds a baccalaureate and it’s not mandatory which is probably good since the senior class is huge. Individual student talents (instrumental, vocal, dance, etc.) are highlighted. I’m not sure what else is done but the people I know who have gone have found it to be a very nice event but it’s a fairly small percentage of kids who elect to go and participate. Absolutely nothing religious in the public high school one either.</p>
<p>I did just google ‘baccalaureate’ and do see that it is religious; I suppose, over time, groups have modified it to meet their needs.</p>
<p>KKmama - Some school districts seem to pride themselves in seeing just how far they can push the envelope or outright violate court rulings on separation of church and state, especially in certain parts of the country (you might be able to guess which ones). They will continue to do so until someone calls them on it.
Write a letter, get friends to write letters, call the ACLU – they’re very busy, w/ soooo much flouting of the Bill of Rights going on these days, but if you can get them to write a letter that can be very effective. Letters should probably be addressed to the Supt as well as the legal dept. of the district office.</p>
<p>Here are some links on the issue: [freedomforum.org:</a> Public-school-sponsored baccalaureate service poses problem](<a href=“http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=13106]freedomforum.org:”>http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=13106)</p>
<p>“Q. May baccalaureate services include prayers? A. Yes. As long as they are privately led, baccalaureate services which are voluntary and not part of the official graduation ceremonies may constitutionally include prayers and religious sermons. School endorsement of such baccalaureate services is not permitted.” [ADL</a> Backgrounder - Religion in Our Nation’s Public Schools](<a href=“http://www.adl.org/presrele/cvlrt_32/2430_32.asp]ADL”>http://www.adl.org/presrele/cvlrt_32/2430_32.asp)</p>
<p>[Chapter</a> 1: Questions Students and Parents May Have - American Jewish Committee](<a href=“http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=853059&ct=1092961]Chapter”>http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=853059&ct=1092961) See under “X. Prayer at Baccalaureate Programs”</p>
<p>“Graduation Prayer and Baccalaureates
2. School officials may not mandate or organize prayer at graduation, nor may they organize a religious baccalaureate ceremony. If the school generally rents out its facilities to private groups, it must rent them out on the same terms, and on a first- come first-served basis, to organizers of privately sponsored religious baccalaureate services, provided that the school does not extend preferential treatment to the baccalaureate ceremony and the school disclaims official endorsement of the program.” [Joint</a> Statement of Current Law on Religion in the Public Schools | American Civil Liberties Union](<a href=“http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/joint-statement-current-law-religion-public-schools]Joint”>http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/joint-statement-current-law-religion-public-schools)</p>
<p>Some other tidbits I picked up in my reading – school, school board, and district officials may not attend in any <em>official</em> capacity, nor may they be required to attend, but they can attend as members of the public.
Members of the school band, choir, etc, can not be required to attend.
If the baccalaureate is held on school premises, then the group sponsoring it must be treated exactly the same as any other group desiring to use school facilities and they can not be given any preference – i.e if other groups are charged rent, so must the bacc-sponsoring group, and they must go through the same application process as anyone else.</p>