Opt out... or opt in?

(You didn't think I would let this pass without comment, did you?) New guidelines are coming out for how schools should handle religious ceremonies. In particular is being noted how pupils can "opt out" of these events.

Given that this has occured in other countries(*), I can already foresee some issues. Those that "opt out" may be seen as odd by the other pupils, and thus they will go to these events simply out of peer pressure. Also while these events are not compulsory, pupils have to be at school while the events go on, which I'm sure if an incredibly effective use of their time, won't lead to make-work at all, and in no way will be seen as an endorsement of this event which gets special treatments (how many other activities are given this status?).

Instead of making it an "opt out" event, let's play it the way it should be. These are secular school we are talking about (private schools are free to dictate as they will) and as such this non-secular event should be optional, but in that it's available for people who want it and the default position should not be that everyone is assumed to go. Ie., let's make these events "opt in", and during free time in which the students can choose what they do (including not being around).

I suspect, though, that such ideas would be considered heretical...

(*)Including America where the idea of the separation of church and state seems to be considered un-American...

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