Dec 2, 2011
Students and parents in Forth Worth, TX are outraged after the school district declared that Christmas celebrations – including visits from Santa Claus would no longer be allowed during the school day.
The Fort Worth Independent School District also banned students exchanging Christmas gifts after they determined that public schools could no longer “endorse or sponsor any religious activity or doctrine.”
A spokesman for the school district told Fox News & Commentary that “in an effort to be politically correct” teachers are not allowed to “post something that would foster or promote or impugn one doctrine or religion over another – or even give that impression.”
Seasonal decorations are still allowed but they have to comply with the district’s ban on decorations that are “religious in nature.” In other words, don’t expect to see a Nativity Scene on school grounds.
“We have people of different races and religions and to them this particular time of year may not be celebratory,” school district spokesman Clint Bond told Fox News. “Because of their religious beliefs, they may not choose to celebrate anything at this time of year.”
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But what about students and teachers who do celebrate Christmas?
Robert Jeffress, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, said it’s time for Christians to rise up and put a stop to what he called “political correctness gone awry.”
“America is a Christian nation,” Jeffress told Fox News & Commentary. “It’s time for Americans to stand up and push back against this increasing encroachment upon our First Amendment rights.
He called on Christians in Fort Worth to protest the school district’s policy.
“They need to pack the next school board meeting with Christians demanding this policy be reversed,” Jeffress said.
But Bond said the district does not have an out-right ban on Santa Claus or Christmas celebrations – so long as they are done before or after school – and have an educational purpose.
“During the school day, when you are supposed to be teaching, you can’t have a formal party where Santa comes in and kids sit on Santa’s lap,” he said. “That’s not part of the instructional day. You can have class parties. They are permissible. We ask that teachers make them appropriate for the instructional purpose.”
But there’s a catch. Bond said the Santa visits and gift exchanges can only occur “before school starts, after school ends or on the evening or weekend.”
“Do it at the appropriate time,” he said. “Outside the instructional day.”
Parents like Brandon Brewer are outraged. He has three children at Ridglea Hills Elementary School.
“In their effort to be PC, they’ve achieved the absurd,” Brewer wrote in an e-mail to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “They’ve taken legality out of the equation insisting that holiday traditions (secular or religious) are suddenly too much of a distraction, and besides, if we let Santa in, maybe a Voodoo Witch Doctor will want to visit the classrooms, and gee, we’d have to let ‘em.”
Bond said the policy has been blown out of proportion and disputed the notion that they’ve “killed Santa” – arguing that the values of all students must be considered.
He blamed the controversy on a “cheap headline that was in the newspaper” that “unfortunately looks around the reality of the facts.”
He said many schools still have Santa art work on the walls and display Christmas trees “with stars on top.”
“We’re not killing off the Great Pumpkin,” he said. “We’re not killing off Valentine’s Day. We’re not killing off the Easter Bunny. Those holidays are welcome in our school – at the appropriate time.”
Jeffress said the district’s real agenda goes beyond Santa Claus.
“We all agree he is not the reason for the season,” he said. “However, it is a more insidious attempt to remove acknowledgement of Christmas from our mindset. The bottom line is Christmas is a day to remember Christ’s birth – and yes we live in a pluralistic society, but we were still founded as a Christian nation and I believe as Americans we have every right to exchange Christmas gifts and in the school district to celebrate Christmas.”
This country was founded on christian values and our laugage is English, if you don't like it- LEAVE.
Actually the US does not have a Primary language listed unlike some countries. I wish we did have English as a primary language. This country was founded on Mortals and Values by some (not all) Christian men.
I may have been taught English, but I am sure I speak American. I am an Army brat of 14 Years, believe when I say our English here, is way different then anywhere in Europe and Canada.
So, Santa Claus has become analogous with Christmas, but what the heck does he have to do with Christianity? Not a thing, so stop being so overly-sensitive! There's absolutely nothing wrong with Christmas trees and Santa Claus. Geez, this country is getting silly..
Clint Bond is a moron to put Jesus in the same group with the Great Pumpkin and the Easter Bunny. I'd be willing to bet he has a Christmas tree in his home, and I'm sure we won't see his car in the district office parking lot on Dec. 25. Another PC liberal hypocrite!
Clint Bond is a moron to put Jesus in the same group with the Great Pumpkin and the Easter Bunny. I'd be willing to bet he has a Christmas tree in his home, and I'm sure we won't see his car in the district office parking lot on Dec. 25. Another PC liberal hypocrite!
It is proof, dear friends, that we are NO LONGER a Christian nation – at least in the minds of our own intelligentsia. We are an anti-Christian nation – in that we are striving ever more to put God away from us… the results of every nation who has rejected the protection of the One who created all of us is predictable – that nation falls badly until (hopefully) people come to their senses and get a true idea of just who it is that really makes all things, and makes all things possible.
I am not saying that we are no longer a Christian nation because I am some wackadoo liberal; I am saying it because that is how we act when things like this Ft Worth incident have become so commonplace… and everyone who is Christian is running scared to state who they are. Look! The premise of our Constitution is that we are endowed with freedom that is freely given by our Creator. Now, when the USA was getting established, the predominant grouping of faiths was Christian. But even so, it was a hodgepodge of Christian and Christian leaning groups that were often at great disagreement with one another in terms of theology, what meant what and so on. Yet, the First Amendment protected that diversity by saying that Congress shall make no law regarding the establishment of religion, OR OF PROHIBITING THE FREE EXCERCISE THEREOF. This means that no one, absolutely no one, should be getting prohibited from practicing their faith at the level of civic policy.
The "political correctness" movement is born out of the opposite attitude to this idea of freedom. It is rather, the negative image of it – by turning that liberty on its head and absolutely denying ANYONE of faith – no matter what that faith is – to practice it. And it is a sign of gross immaturity, borne by people who have failed to grow up and recognise that there are people who believe differently than they themselves do, and that is nobody's business but theirs and their God, as they understand God. If a believer is breaking the civil laws of the land, such as murdering children for sacrifice, well, that's got to stop because this country has established itself along the lines of the Mosaic Law and follows the basic precepts of the Ten Commandments not as a religious base, but as the baseline for defining what we believe to be acceptable – or unacceptable behaviour. Just because that baseline is written into the universe – well, that gives us the advantage. But it is not religious in basis. At least, not directly.
But political correctness, in trying to "be fair" to everyone, is actually establishing lawlessness. When you take away the right of a person to practice their faith, you remove the one factor that brings them and their society any sort of objective stability. We break our own rules all the time, and we break each other's rules all the time, but there are certain laws and principles we tend to believe have a divine inspiration that we at least pause most of the time before breaking. Take away religious freedom, and that guidance goes away, and hence, increased lawlessness and chaotic and destructive behaviour. I say that the PC movement is the biggest factor that contributes to school shootings, aberrant sexual behaviour in schools (when there should be practically none, and now we read stories of kids having sex in class right under the teacher's nose), loss of purpose, and despair. It is not that schools must teach one religion or all of them, unless someone wants to offer such classes. It is that we have always respected belief in some sort of Divine Truth and now we are rejecting this, wholesale.
I am trying to stay as strictly within Constitutional principles here as I can. Those principles were not founded as basis for making the USA a Christian nation, though many people who framed the document commented over and over about the necessity of faith in society to establish the stability of its government, and they used Christian examples most of the time. But the brilliance of the document is that this applies to pretty much anyone of any faith, and what is happening now is the opposite of that freedom – now we take it away from EVERYONE isntead of being grown-up and mature enough to not even worry about whether or not what someone else does "offends" you. And doing it this way is only increasing the pathos, increasing the immaturity and intolerance of diversity, it is not upholding our nation's original great gift of protecting that diversity.
I really ask my friends who claim the USA as Christian nation to think about this. I feel for your argument, because I am trying to be a Christian and I see that our basis is upon Christian principles. However I think the better arguement is that our right to practice our Christianity is no less important than the right of our Jewish, or Muslim, or Hindu, or whatever else, people to practice their faith, as long as that practice doesn't violate the civil laws of this land. And most of them don't.
God alone is the Judge of who makes it into His kingdom, that's not my job, but I think He would hold us responsible for interfering with our children's ability to believe, to pray, and to follow in the way that we are doing these days. Think about that. We are already paying a price for this, and it will get worse and worse as long as we keep insisting we don't want God around. He'll go, and it will be our doing, and the results will be our fault, not His.
We are not a Christian nation who believes in Jesus:
Ben Franklin: "The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." -in Poor Richard's Almanac
T. Jefferson: ""I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition (Christianity) one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology."
Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half of the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we call it the word of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind.
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"What is it the New Testament teaches us? To believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married; and the belief of this debauchery is called faith."
John Adams: "This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it."
Thomas Paine:
"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half of the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we call it the word of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind.
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"What is it the New Testament teaches us? To believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married; and the belief of this debauchery is called faith."
Scott Thomas Brewster –I love listening to people like you babble.Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Baptist at Danbury in 1802 saying "seperation of church and sate" the meaning was the goverment would not interfere with the church. The constitution says the goverment will do nothing to interfere with the free excercise of religion.why is that so hard for people to grasp the meaning of?
Hi, Scott… I am familiar with those quotes too. They really come from very educated people who yet do not have a clue about Christianity in its true nature. And they are not to be blamed for that, because Christianity in the West has been seriously afflicted with bad information for over 1,000 years. With the Roman Church's separation from the other Patriarchates, and the eventual Protestant splintering from the Roman communion, both groups have gotten wackier and wackier. The Roman Church has done this much more slowly, and to their credit, at least they are fighting for what they understand of the ancient truth, but by the time we got to the framers of the Constitution, these people were not Christians so much as Masons and Deists, and they really no longer understood Scripture.
Nowadays, folks, apparently like yourself, when reading Scripture, do so from the viewpoint of secular 21st century humanists, and they do not have any experience with the true context of Scripture. The funny thing is that they think they are smart enough to understand this "Christian thing" and they completely get it wrong. You can trust me on that because I have been in that way of thinking for many years, myself. So please believe me when I say that I am not coming at this as some sort of a holy roller – I am not. But nevertheless, I have been gradually brought into Christianity, and thank God it was Eastern Orthodoxy, which makes a great deal more sense than anything the Western church has been doing. And that wonderful sensibility about things has allowed me to start to really "get it" about what is being said in Scripture – even in the bad sounding parts, and to get what it is really talking about. And I'll tell you, nothing is more true or mind-blowing than the reality of Jesus Christ as the sole end and focus of all of Scripture, but not only that, of the entire universe. I will bet my bottom dollar that you've never heard it put that way before. When I write about it now, or talk to people, sometimes I cannot believe that it is me saying these things, much less from experience, but both are true.
There are some amazing books that bring this reality to anyone who wants to read it – and I would honest invite you or any good skeptic to look at Eastern Orthodoxy as a possible way through some of that nonsense. The nonsense itself that you quoted is borne of the distortion that crept into the Western Church, and it is only a logical outcome of it. To my knowledge there is no such distortion in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and it has not spawned dissenting groups like the west. If you like, check it out. Be prepared to be surprised, though.
All that being said, I DO agree that we are not a Christian nation, presently, though I don't really go in the direction you do. You've referred well and accurately to the framers of the Constitution and other aspects of being "founding fathers" of this nation. However, I am referring to the breakdown among the great majority of people, as more and more of our population – even those claiming to be Christian – actually reject living that way. The two poles – yours and mine – are certainly linked, but the idea I am holding is that our elected leadership now comes out of the people – and no one is interested – truly interested – in putting devout, God-fearing people into representative or executive positions in our government. That is because the majority of our citizenry would not be able to stand such people. Something to think about.
@Seraphim Hanisch We never were a Christian nation, we are a nation of immigrants. Our country is filled with people from all over the world, not just Christians countries. Just because Christanity is popular, doesn't mean its right.
And just because it's right
certainly doesn't make it popular!!
But seriously, Glenn, if you're not too stung by that joke – the fact is that where Christianity is involved in the USA, it is being forced out, in the name of "religious equality" but this is totally unconstitutional. You're right – there is no national religion here, as there is no national language here. However, the constitution says that there shall be no law pertaining to religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and what is happening here is precisely the opposite – government organizations – public schools – making rules against the expression of religious belief, going against the freedom of all Americans to practice their beliefs. The idea is we should be free TO express it. Not prevented from expressing it just because there are other people who disagree. That's repression. And whether it happens to Christians most often just because there are more of them in the USA statistically, or because there is an active anti-Christian effort at play, the results are exactly the same.
The whole "offending" people line used in this matter is asinine. If I am going to actually be offended by your faith or lack of it, that's my problem, not yours. And the libs have it backwards – they'd have it so the physically fit were maimed so that the crippled people can win, rather than letting everyone develop their own personal gifts – and maybe end up playing different games!
To quote Madeleine L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" –
"Like" and "Equal" are not the same thing at all!
Seraphim Hanisch I loved your joke.
Actually the government cannot make an establishment of religion. You can practice and believe whatever religion you want, the government isn't stopping it, by allowing Christmas in schools, is endorsing christian religion. Santa has been part of christianity for while now, because there is a campaign going to put Christ back in Christmas. As for stores, and business owners they each can choose what they want, either Merry Christmas with Santa, or Happy Holidays, with or without Santa Claus. Religion does not belong in our schools, because schools are not a place of worship. As a student in any school, you are free to pray when you want/need read your religious text, and even talk about it, so long as it doesn't not disrupt the classes.
Santa is a pedophile.
Wait, they are keeping the Easter Bunny? Santa Clause is completely secular. The EASTER bunny is not, it even has the name of the most important Christian holiday on the calendar. Without Easter Christmas means nothing.
Why don't we just cancel Christmas. Don't even bother anymore. Just go to school or work. Don't give out presents or whatever. I'm so sick of hearing of this crap lately that I want to be sick. Whatever happened to good old fashioned values in this country. Does everything have to be PC. Well I say the Hell to you. I will not cow tow to those who would destroy this country. That includes the President of United States and all of his liberal friends.
Debbie Green–amen sister
By the way, Santa is not a religious figure, Christ was and it is his birth we celebrate, So screw you.
Telling God he's not welcome anymore in this place and that place, since he's a gentleman, he'll leave, guess who comes in where he isn't. Oh, yeah that would be the bombers, and shooters, drug dealers, you know those that don't step on any liberals toes.
Happy Birthday Jesus, The folks in FtWorth need to go back to school the National HolyDay. Is Christmas
yes. this is great. Lets stop being a Christian nation. Lets celebrate those lovely stinky muslims, change our money to in allaah we trust. One of the reasons I left NYC after 43 years was to be in a place that wished you Merry Christmas and had Christmas trees. F happy holidays. This country was founded on Christian values and should celebrate every Christmas, but instead we pander to left wing PC garbage. Sad.
Happy Winter Solstice
He never promised that the cross would not get heavy.
And the hill would not be hard to climb.
He never offered our victories without fighting.
But He said help would always come in time.
Just remember when your standing in the valley of decision.
And the adversary says give in.
Just hold on, our Lord will show up.
And He will take you through the fire again.
It's time for us Christians to stand up. The words are correct it will not be easy but the rightouse WILL prevail…
Maybe our "officials" should try reading their directions THE BIBLE as it seems they are going in the wrong direction.
Hey you politically correct fools, you morons Santa Claus is not a religious figure.I wanted to verify so I had a super committee study the bible, after weeks of behind closed door meetings a bi-partisan panel concludes Santa does not appear in the bible.These are the morons teaching your kids? Going by your logic we should not have black history month, let's call it multi-culture month.Since the imam has been in the oval office Christianity is attacked on a daily basis.Look around you people America is becoming a socialist state.Stop being politically correct, stop being afraid of offending someone, screw bama, screw the school board, screw the ACLU, grow a backbone and take your country back.
Odd, schools are not allowed to talk about Christianity because we don't want to offend anyone.I'm offended that you teach homosexuality as acceptable, i'm offended that you teach kids to be tolerant of islamic radicals who would kill you in a heartbeat.i'm offended tax dollars pay for spanish translaters to provide the "dream act" for illegals.Let's make a list of everything, everyone finds offensive and pass laws that none of these things can be promoted during normal school hours.After all we don't want to offend anyone right?
Why do people keep bringing up the fact that not all of the founding fathers were not christains? The point is mute, the fact is they signed their names to documents stating that the goverment would not interfere with your right to practice your religious beliefs.They conceded regardless of being christain or not, having a goverment saying how or where you practice your beliefs amounts to tyranny.
what ever happened to freedom of religion? Isn't that how America came to be known as the GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD? I am all for home of the brave and the land of the free, but if you come to America three things need to happen…..get citizenship, pay taxes, and live like an american. but I guess if you are a Hodge, for example, then we are supposed to bend over backwards and let you rape the American economy while the REAL AMERICANS suffer.
I find it really sad the slippery road we as a country are going down. When in the name of tolerance we put up with Halloween and other holidays and we can not celebrate Christmas and all wonderful good things it stands for. Peace, Love, Joy, Hope.
Giving Gifts and Serving others. Family and letting them know how much they are loved and appreciated. Letting others know how much they mean to us. Like School teachers and others that serve our communities. What can be so Wrong with that?
Talking about looking at our Priorities, lets see Goodness, Kindness , appreciation , serving others, Love , Joy , Peace, Hope ( boy do we need that these days) , Giving to others, Giving a hand up, Looking for ways to bless those less fortunate than us. Being thankful for all we have been blessed with.
Sound like things this country was build on to me!
It time to speak out and let the School Board and other Elected Leaders Know Enough is Enough!
Sincerely ,
Brian W. Irwin
Can they celebrate Thanksgiving? MLK day? Halloween? why just Christmas? OH NO look out Easter, you are next!
vouchers
Who in the world thought having your kids educated by the government was a good idea?
Public school teachers must be allowed to teach students about different religions and traditions in the United States and around the world. This is what teaches tolerance and understanding. Along with Christmas traditions, students should be learning about Hanukkah, Ramadan, and even Kwanzaa and other non-religious holidays that occur this time of year. One cannot be taught in isolation even if it is the majority belief. It is about educating our students so they grow up to be understanding, tolerant citizens in our world – a world that is getting smaller everyday. It's not indoctrination – it's education! We should be embracing other beliefs and understand where they are coming from even if we do not choose to follow those beliefs. Do not take Christmas out of schools – add other holidays to the curriculum instead! As someone who has been in education for almost 20 years, trust me when I say that Reading, Grammar, Math, and even Science can be taught through Social Studies – which is exactly what this debate is all about – Social Studies.
Kim Tyler–Going by that logic shouldn't we be teaching creationism as well as evolution? Your goal as an educator is to educate all venues right?Maybe the kids are becoming confused when they stand outside cages at the zoo waiting to see a monkey evolve.
Terry Nugent Kids that are standing outside a cage waiting for a monkey to evolve didn't have me for a teacher.
Public school teachers must be allowed to teach students about different religions and traditions in the United States and around the world. This is what teaches tolerance and understanding. Along with Christmas traditions, students should be learning about Hanukkah, Ramadan, and even Kwanzaa and other non-religious holidays that occur this time of year. One cannot be taught in isolation even if it is the majority belief. It is about educating our students so they grow up to be understanding, tolerant citizens in our world – a world that is getting smaller everyday. It's not indoctrination – it's education! We should be embracing other beliefs and understand where they are coming from even if we do not choose to follow those beliefs. Do not take Christmas out of schools – add other holidays to the curriculum instead! As someone who has been in education for almost 20 years, trust me when I say that Reading, Grammar, Math, and even Science can be taught through Social Studies – which is exactly what this debate is all about – Social Studies.
In 1659 the Christian majority in MA passed a law making celebration of Christmas a criminal offence. Now Christian zealots want Xmas observance everywhere. The common thread is the desire to impose their traditions on others. Why not get comfortable with variety and differences of opinion and traditions? Actual text of the law passed by the Pilgrims: "For preventing disorders, arising in several places within this jurisdiction by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other communities, to the great dishonor of God and offense of others: it is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county."
From the records of the General Court,
Massachusetts Bay Colony.
May 11, 1659.
Google it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS