A school in Great Britain (I believe--the article comes from Telegraph.co.uk, and names the school as Greenwood Junior School) is getting attention for its hapless decision-making procedures which resulted in the school's Christmas program being bumped to accommodate concurrent Muslim festivities.
I'm reminded of the controversy surrounding a Salt Lake City High School Choir and a Jewish girl's father who objected to their performance of Christmas songs several years ago. It also brings to mind a personal experience putting together a Holiday program as a music teacher.
The principle instructed me in very clear terms that the December program I was putting together could not be referred to as a Christmas program, but only a Holiday program. No Christmas songs could be sung. I searched through a music teachers' catalog for an appropriate songbook, and found one which was described to meet all of the criteria. It contained songs about snow, sledding, eating lots of food, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
Does that surprise anyone? It probably isn't shocking to anyone at all that a "Holiday" program may feature songs celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but not Christmas. To be honest, it doesn't bother me that much. I like music from many cultures, and I can sing my traditional Christmas favorites at home with my kids. But the dichotomy bothers me just enough to blog about it.
1 comment:
I really like all sorts of cultural stuff, too! :-)
I *have* been unpleasantly surprised over the last few years (although it does explain a lot, in retrospect) at the anti-Christianity in society. To acknowledge other faiths while excluding Christianity is wrong. If, on the other hand, we included it as "one of many," (as long as we're acknowledging "the many,") I think it'd be reasonably equitable.
I guess it does tell us a little more about the "PC Police's" agenda, though! ;-)
And like you, I'm secure enough in my faith that academic and societal exclusion doesn't weaken my faith; to the contrary, it seems to reinforce it. (I think that's one of the benefits of our particular faith's history, actually, LOL...)
In the interest of making a point about consistency, though, I'm just ornery enough (in my dreams) to say, "well, no religion means no religion," and keep the "Winter Holiday Concert" subject matter to sledding ;-).
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