Those in favour of keeping crucifixes on display in public buildings have filed a petition in Lucerne.
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The petition, signed by 11,976 people and submitted on Tuesday, states that both crucifixes and crosses should be allowed to hang in schools as well as in other public buildings.
It was launched in late October as a reaction to recent disputes in cantons Lucerne and Valais. According to the organising committee, banning the religious symbol would be a sign of intolerance.
Some 60 per cent of the signatures were from canton Lucerne and the petition was filed with the government there.
A teacher in canton Valais was recently fired after he removed crucifixes from the classrooms that he taught in.
Meanwhile, a father in canton Lucerne asked that crosses be removed from a primary school; the school obliged.
In 1990, the Federal Court ruled that crucifixes were contrary to religious neutrality. However, many Swiss classrooms keep one on display and they are a common sight on roadsides in Catholic areas.
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