School Accused Of Stealing Christmas Spirit

[The Straight Story]

School Accused Of Stealing Christmas Spirit

BOSTON -- Is a school in Medway, Mass., stealing Christmas? That's what some parents claim.

The Medway Middle School ordered children not to sing any religious songs in Friday's holiday concert.

Students were also told to refer to Christmas trees as magical trees, and red hats have been banned.

The move comes after two parents complained about references to Christmas in the program.

http://www.local6.com/education/5626022/detail.html

[Loonman]

1. This takes the cake

Being an atheist, I safely say that this is asinine:

Students were also told to refer to Christmas trees as magical trees, and red hats have been banned.

[Xenotime]

2. The separation of church and state means just that...

no religion in public school. We Wish You A Swinging Holiday sounds like a catchy tune. Good job on the school upholding the constitution.

[LWolf]

3. Every parent wants their word to carry weight

until some other parent they don't agree with gets to do the same.

I've found, in the schools I've worked at in my 23 years in public ed, that schools tend to favor the christmas flavor, and attempt to be inclusive by including other secular, jewish, etc. references as well.

Since there is no consensus among the public that schools serve, there really is no way to please all. Therefore, in the spirit of maintaining the separation of church and state, perhaps all holidays should be celebrated, or not, by families and the community outside of public schools and public school grounds.

[kevinbgoode]

4. The story contains errors.

IMO, it's all much ado about nothing. You know, if the fundies had left the whole Christmas thang alone to be both a religious and secular holiday (since the seculars restored the holiday to begin with using Santa Claus) then there wouldnt' be much of a problem singing about Christmas trees or We Wish You a Merry Christmas. But since the fundies have demanded this year that Christmas be a decidedly acknowledged religious holiday - you know, with special christian-only sales in the department stores and white baby jesus figurines in the town square, perhaps the school was trying to avoid being sucked into endorsing a religion.

Too bad the fundies went on such a rampage. Otherwise, no one would have cared about Christmas being used in any school concert at all. . .because everyone could identify the holiday in any way they wish.

I'm sure Jerry Falwell's "christian" law firm will be right there with a fat legal suit by next week.

Of course, perhaps every holiday should be experienced. Schools should close for Ramadan...and also on every Friday so that devotees of the Flying Spaghetti Monster could honor their holy obligations.

[SmokingJacket]

5. Don't schools have enough to do already?

There are so many international kids in my sons' school (we live next to a university) that it would be impossible to celebrate all the kids' holidays. There are families from India, Thailand, China, France, Israel, etc. So they don't do holidays at all; my kids think of holidays as FAMILY occasions, and that's just great.

I get to choose the carols they learn. Yay! And they can focus on math and history at school, instead of making paper Santas.