Religion and public schools tend not to mix very well and where to draw the line can be questionable, however with Texas being the first state to pass a new Merry Christmas law which is now in act, students and teachers now have the right to use whatever holiday greetings they want or set up any religious holiday decorations as long as they do not try and encourage any faith over another.

“In today’s world of political correctness run amok, Christmas Trees have been replaced with “Holiday Trees” and simple on-campus greetings such as “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah” can land a student or teacher in hot water,” the Merry Christmas Bill website says. “Whether it’s Christmas or Hanukkah, our children, teachers, parents and school administrators should have the freedom to acknowledge these traditions in our public schools without fear of censorship, punishment, persecution or litigation. The Merry Christmas Bill guarantees that freedom.”

Some students are glad that the law passed as it gives students and teachers more freedom to practice their own religion in a school setting.

“I think it’s good that the law passed because teachers always have to be so careful as to what they say in the classroom so they won’t get in trouble,” sophomore Sydney Hess said. “Now they can say whatever they want to about the holidays and even set up decorations according to their religion, so that’s good.”

While the line on what you can and can not say at school can often be blurry, some think this new law was a necessary addition to protect their free speech at school.

“I believe that it was necessary to create this law, as it protects anyone who wants to express themselves, whether it be Christmas or Hanukkah,” senior Audrey Holstead said. “I personally am happy that this has been implemented, as it gives back the ability to express oneself and allows teachers and students to be able to express holiday cheer without having to worry about any implications.”

While some believe that this law is necessary to ensure free speech in schools, others are not so sure.

“I’m not sure how necessary the law was. Stories about political correctness on the part of schools regulating religious content of activities in the classroom tend get overblown,” government teacher Jeff Kear said. “On the other hand, there is a difference between acknowledging a holiday and promoting a religion, and it seems to be a difference that some schools, a very few, have tripped over. My opinion? Not relevant – as sensitive as folks are on this issue, it’s probably best to live and let be.”

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