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The board didn't "cave" - they are the ones who chose to cancel the field trip. The mom didn't ask for it to be canceled, she simply let the school know she had a concern.
But clearly some people think she wasn't entitled to express that concern, and being in a the minority, she was supposed to just keep her mouth shut and go along with what the majority preferred.
I guess I don't understand speaking up about this kind of stuff because I don't see the harm in it other than not being able to participate by one's own choice. Life is full of choices like that, right?
In a public school, where there are students of many diverse cultures, it is inappropriate to promote one specific holiday of any kind. Now, If they were say learning about different religions like I remember doing back in school, then it's okay as long as they're learning and experiencing different cultures.
I remember we would celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, Easter, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana, Passover, etc.
As long as they're not promoting ONLY Christianity, then it's alright.
I just can't agree with this statement. If I was in a predominately Jewish neighborhood I would fully expect the local public schools to be engaging in conversation and activities centered around the time of Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah. I mean, its only natural that this sort of thing happens. Yes, I think it kids of different faiths should have a chance to talk about, display and express their faiths but the predominate religion/belief system is going to seep into every day life and conversation. I don't know if that's necessarily wrong.
Parents at a California elementary school took their kids out of class after their annual trip to visit Santa Claus was canceled following a complaint from a Jewish mom.
About 30 students were taken to see St. Nick by their parents who were furious that the Sartorette Elementary School in San Jose canceled their trip.
I went back and did a search for "Christian" then read through post 520. Here's what I found.
Certainly, considering that church membership is dropping, yet people here are quoting a 90% figure for celebrating Christmas, a lot of people don't see Christmas as particularly Christian.
You should probably poll people of other faiths, as well as atheists, deists, agnostics and non-denominational, whether Christmas in their view is not a specifically Christian tradition.
While for some Christians it's just a commercialized and increasingly secular holiday, for others it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the his teachings. You can't separate one from another, especially if there are both types of views presented in the large majority group of students who celebrate Christmas.
Certainly at least one part of my family is hell bent on making sure nobody is spared a lecture about Christ and Christmas around the holidays. Pardon me if after being force fed their beliefs my entire life I can't see Christmas as a purely secular thing.
You should probably poll people of other faiths, as well as atheists, deists, agnostics and non-denominational, whether Christmas in their view is not a specifically Christian tradition.
While for some Christians it's just a commercialized and increasingly secular holiday, for others it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the his teachings. You can't separate one from another, especially if there are both types of views presented in the large majority group of students who celebrate Christmas.
Certainly at least one part of my family is hell bent on making sure nobody is spared a lecture about Christ and Christmas around the holidays. Pardon me if after being force fed their beliefs my entire life I can't see Christmas as a purely secular thing.
I guess I don't understand speaking up about this kind of stuff because I don't see the harm in it other than not being able to participate by one's own choice. Life is full of choices like that, right?
An adult can make choices about what they want to do during their personal time. An elementary school child should not be expected to have to participate in the celebration of a religious holiday they don't observe when that holiday is observed to the exclusion of any other during that time period, or self-excluding from school or participation in a field trip.
It's beyond me how anyone thinks it's ok to make a 5 year old do this, particularly with some people in this thread saying that it's the family's fault that they don't observe Christmas and that is what is making a child feel badly about this situation.
Just because a child is a member of a religious or other minority doesn't mean they leave their civil rights at the school entrance.
An adult can make choices about what they want to do during their personal time. An elementary school child should not be expected to have to participate in the celebration of a religious holiday they don't observe when that holiday is observed to the exclusion of any other during that time period, or self-excluding from school or participation in a field trip.
It's beyond me how anyone thinks it's ok to make a 5 year old do this, particularly with some people in this thread saying that it's the family's fault that they don't observe Christmas and that is what is making a child feel badly about this situation.
Just because a child is a member of a religious or other minority doesn't mean they leave their civil rights at the school entrance.
Its beyond me how anyone thinks everyone should act the same, be the same all the time in the name of equality.
I went back and did a search for "Christian" then read through post 520. Here's what I found.
Certainly, considering that church membership is dropping, yet people here are quoting a 90% figure for celebrating Christmas, a lot of people don't see Christmas as particularly Christian.
And none of those post said Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity. Most adults understand that the religious aspect of Christmas for practicing Christians is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is celebrated by church service, singing his praises, reenacting or displaying the nativity and gift giving as the wise men brought gifts and Jesus was a gift to mankind.
Most also understand that in the 4th century when Constantine ruled and was converted to Christianity Paganism began being pushed out in favor of Christianity but those Pagan beliefs, rituals and celebrations were infused with the new Christianity thus lending to so many of the traditions we engage in today but really having nothing to do with Christian beliefs. It was a way of slowly and gently phasing out Paganism but not completely.
Thus we now have a secular Christmas where the remnants of the Pagan celebrations are observed and a religious Christmas were the birth of Christ is observed. According to different sources 90-95% of Americans celebrate Christmas. This percentage is not all Christian. They are celebrating secular Christmas though some Christians celebrate both and some Christians do not celebrate secular Christmas.
It is actually pretty ironic that the early Christians tried to stomp out Paganism by diluting their beliefs, rituals, customs and Gods but after all these years it seems Paganism has prevailed by diluting and stomping out the actual Christian beliefs, rituals and customs. And few are the wiser.
I don't see Christmas as purely secular either. But the point is, a lot of people do! That's the point I was responding to.
And a lot of people do not, that was the point I was trying to make. A significant number of people see Christmas as a holiday with strong Christian overtones, or a purely religious holiday, especially people who are not Christian. It's unfair for a public school to ignore their views. I think we're essentially saying the same thing though...
As a non-denominational believer, I don't object to being bombarded by Christmas for 3 months every year, nativity scenes all over town, and people dressed up as Santas or elphs asking for donations. This is all part of the holiday that I respect, if not follow. However I would also be pretty upset if my kids' school spent significantly more time on Christmas than any other religion. I had enough religion based controversy growing up, and I don't want my kids to live through the same crap I did. Most people have no idea what it's like to stand out from the crowd at a young age when everyone around you was taught that anyone who is unlike them will be punished by God. There's really no reason why a public school should reinforce these beliefs by clearly favoring one religion over others.
I would prefer that schools did not dab into religious holidays at all. Period. Of any kind. Check your religion at the door.
Its beyond me how anyone thinks everyone should act the same, be the same all the time in the name of equality.
NO ONE is saying that! In fact, that is the problem with this field trip! It ass*umes that everyone should act the same, be the same all the time in the name of equality.
I am frankly surprised that this school trip lasted 10 years in California. (I did some research and that's how long it's been going on.) California is literally THE most diverse state in the country. This isn't like North Dakota, say, where "everyone" is either Catholic or Lutheran. (I know that's not true entirely, but there are some schools in ND where it is true.) Even in that example, some people just do not encourage Santa, letters to Santa, visits to Santa, etc.
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