Canadian Remembrance Day in public schools (just Canadians please)?

Question

Canada celebrates remembrace day on November 11th every year.  In all schools, this is a big event with a ceremony. The graves of the soldiers (in Flander's Field) are marked with a white cross.  Should this symbol be used in public schools in remembrance day activities even though the cross is a symbol of Christianity? Religion is not supposed to be taught at all in public schools and we must remember some of those soldiers burried were Jewsish,Buddhist,Atheists,etc .and school students have different religions.
Should the poppy be the primary symbol for Remembrance day? Or should Canadians just contend with the fact that the graves DO have white crosses?

Trogs Mama · Accepted Answer

some teachers are just a die hard living in the past,they need someone to tell them that cannada education system is a secular one.
teachers are to teach historical events as history with no religious connotations.rembemrance day celebrates the sacrifices of canadian soldiers in world war1 and war2 and that event has nothing to do with religion anyways.
if the teacher is so enthusiastic about their religious beliefs,they should go teach in a catholic school or join their nearby church,they are always looking for volunteers
if my daughter was sent with religious projects in her school bag(crosses,magazines,etc), and i dont believe in the religion these items symbolize, i would talk gently to the school principal,the law is clear about it :religion in public schools is illegal,period.

Y!A-FOOL · Answer

Now, I do get your point, but I hardly ever notice the crosses except as historical marks. Yes the graves were marked with crosses. Especially in the first war. The reference is in the poem about Flanders Fields too. 
Yet the bloody Red Poppies are what I think of most.

I think to change it is to attempt rewriting our history, and that bothers me more than having the cross associated with so much death and destruction.

PROBLEM · Answer

Why don't you just remember that under that white cross is someones son, husband or brother. That man died so you have the freedom to complain about white crosses. GET A LIFE

mcgreg · Answer

poppies are fine in schools,the cross is simply segregating and as you mentioned it symbolises a particular religion and besides it is unlawful to include a religious components in school activities.
it is unfair for both the non-christain soldiers who died and their sons living today.

mike · Answer

am not christian or anything and want my son to decide for himself when he's grown up.
dont want christian teachers imposing their own religious beliefs on my son at a public school

Canadian Remembrance Day in public schools (just Canadians please)?

5 Answers