Christmas-less Bear Tavern Elementary School angers some parents

The Grinch is alive and well in Hopewell Township -- at least according to some parents.
Bear Tavern Elementary School parents are angry over an e-mail from Principal Bruce Arcurio giving new holiday guidelines that eliminate all religious celebrations from his Mercer County school. "It was hard to read from the get-go," said township Committeewoman Judy Neiderer, who has a 10-year-old daughter at Bear Tavern. "This is something that stirs so much emotion in people."

Arcurio's guidelines, as written in his e-mail, are:

· "All December parties need to be winter celebrations and not celebrations of holidays."
· "All holiday decorations should be changed in favor of winter decorations. Santa Claus, Christmas trees and menorahs are all holiday-specific decorations."
· "The holiday sing-along will be discontinued as it has been at all other schools. If anyone has a suggestion for an alternative, please let me know."
· "Films shown on the last day before break should not be about the holidays and should be curriculum related."

The reaction from parents to the Dec. 13 e-mail was immediate -- and withering. Neiderer said she received more than 70 e-mails and letters from parents angry their children will no longer be able to participate in holiday activities at the school. "When I was a kid I remember 'Rudolf' and how they said Christmas is canceled and my heart was broken," Neiderer said. "It's part of who we are as adults and who we want our children to be." For years, Bear Tavern had in the hallway a tree they called the Giving Tree, Neiderer said. "That's not there anymore."

Children who made gingerbread houses were advised not to use red or green candies, Neiderer said. "What message is that? It's the wrong message," she said. But it's a message that's the law, school board attorney Robert Martinez said.
"It's OK to teach about religion but not to celebrate it in schools," Martinez said. "It's a matter of balance and judgment." Martinez, who advised administrators on school guidelines, based his opinions on federal case law.
"It's perfectly proper for schools to teach about religion. It's not proper for schools to celebrate religion," he said.
The policy is districtwide. Once the e-mail went out, the reaction was staggering. "I didn't see this coming," Arcu rio said. "It wasn't my intention to upset people or hurt people." Arcurio's e-mail was read on New Jersey 101.5 during rush hour Wednesday. He's received about 50 e-mails "that run the gamut" from parents for and against the guidelines. "While there's always going to be disagreements about how things are done and discussions about how things are done, I encourage all parents to remain supportive," Arcurio said.

Arcurio said he has two children and celebrates Christmas. "I don't want to be characterized as someone not in favor of traditions and holidays," he said. But many parents say it's school traditions that are coming to an end.
"In years past, we used to have Bear Tavern parents dress up as Santa and give candy canes to kids. Obviously, that wasn't happening this year," said parent Carleene Burrows. "Everything is supposed to be just winter-related now. I guess in this day and age everyone is concerned with being politically correct." School board President Kim Newport characterized the guidelines as a matter of making sure all district schools are consistent when it comes to holidays. "It's something of a tempest in a teapot," Newport said. "We're a public school system. We abide by laws given to public schools. We don't have a lot of choice. It's federal law." Holidays like Christmas are taught as part of school curriculum, school Superintendent Judith Ferguson said.

"I think there's a clear misunderstanding," she said. "What we are saying is we have to eliminate the celebration that's not related to the curriculum. The celebration of Christmas to our thinking is not a legitimate public school activity because it's a religious holiday. Celebrating it is very different than studying it." In the meantime, Bear Tavern students spent their first year with no Christmas tree, no Santa Claus and no Christmas carols. Are they disappointed? "They haven't noticed a difference," Burrows said. "My children haven't said anything to me."

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