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Cohen, a Jewish candidate, is the only challenger who said he is run- ning strictly as a concerned parent. "We need to help kids meet the needs of the future," Har- dy said. "I don't want man- datory religion in the schools. But I am for Christmas- related activities that are multicultural for understan- ding. I like diversity and want it recognized." Klapp said he would like to see prayers in school for all groups, including Hindus, Asians, Jews and Christians. "All holidays should be observed," he said. The issue of religion in public schools first surfaced in Bloomfield Hills in December when members of TORCH, an acronym for Tax- payers Organization to Restore Cultural Heritage, unsuccessfully attempted to convince the school board to permit Christmas celebration in the schools. At various school board meetings, the group said its - specific goal was to legally put Christmas back into the schools "as it relates to the tradition of this country. Through the educational pro- cess, our children can learn from others and be enriched by the experience Speaking to the school board for TORCH were Bloomfield Hills residents former Gov. George Romney, his daughter-in-law, Ronna Romney, and her sister, Toby Jones, a co-founder of the movement. Jones refused to accept phone calls from The Jewish News. Another founder of the now the inactive TORCH group is Jack. Givens, a member of the Brightmoor Tabernacle in Southfield, the fundamen- talist church with which Klapp is affiliated. Klapp said he is not familiar with TORCH or any movement to reinstate religion in the schools. School board members have continually vowed support of the board policy, which states simply that religion has no place in a public education classroom. Meanwhile, Superintendent W. Robert Docking has been studying ways to address the cultural diversity issue. Board members said Docking is ex- pected to make recommenda- tions on the issue by June. Miriam Schey, who handles First Amendment issues for the Jewish Community Coun- cil, said the Bloomfield Hills situation stems from old-line values. As more Asians, Chaldeans, Jews and Hindus move into the once monolithic com- munity, some residents "merely are trying to restore the district to the way it used to be," Schey said. "It started off as a simple church and state issue," Schey added. "But the real heart of the matter is acceptance of differences. It has mushroom- ed into ethnic diversity. There are people who are threaten- ed and are afraid that their kids are being exposed to too many differences?' Schey said the Jewish Com- munity Council hopes to launch a program for the schools to educate the com- munity about ethnic and cultural backgrounds. She said the Troy and Rochester school districts also have ex- perienced problems over the presence of religion and ethnic diversity. "Church and state has always been an issue," Schey said. "It is coming back in a new form?' Mark Stern, an attorney with the American Jewish Bloomfield Hills religion-in-school advocates "are swimming against the tide." Congress in New York who specializes in church/state issues, said Bloomfield Hills religion in school advocates are "swimming against the tide Across the country, Stern said, school districts are try- ing to tone down the celebra- tion of Christmas. He said a fast growing influx of Asians and Hispanics has forced school systems across the country to deal with more diversity. "Church/state battles can be turf battles," Stern said. "It is viewed less as a fight of celebrating Christmas and more over who controls Bloomfield Hills." Stern said several religious groups,. including Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, the AJCongress, and the Christian Legal Society, have mustered forces with the National Education Associa- tion and the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State to prepare informational packages for schools on ways of teaching how holidays are celebrated. It should be completed by December. "The religious community ought to rise in horror and say.no to religion in schools,"