Posted on 11/06/2009 12:09:22 AM PST by Anti-Hillary
Many of us parents just learned that ONE teacher complained that it offended her and they nixed the tradition. We are HOPPING mad and plan to do something about it. Any EFFECTIVE ideas????
send them all to school wearing Christmas Tree t-shirts!
I second some of the comments already posted... homeschool. We’re in our second year and we enjoy being able to do math work beside our brightly lit Christmas tree. No complaints from the teacher or student. I had to attend public school and I knew the only way that my son and I wouldn’t have to put up with the liberal crap was to keep him out all together. He will NEVER step foot inside a public classroom and we will make all the construction paper Christmas trees we like without obstruction from anyone.
The folks at my kids school are scared to death of me. And I have NEVER gone down there yelling and screaming. I have had several conversations with the principle and even when I am firm in my voice on my issue, we have a grown up and pleasant conversation.
First, I would call the principle and talk to him/her directly. First acknowledge that you understand people being offended, you get offended all the time. Then ask if there are any other criteria for getting school traditions changed, other than being offended?
Don’t get into a debate. Do NOT let him have you answer questions. You are not his employee, you are only on a fact finding mission. You just want to know how things work. How does one get things changed at the school that you are offended by. Do NOT offer any information about what you might be offended by. This will scare him.. it is Alinsky style tactics. His mind will be racing with what you are up to.
Second. Do some homework- find out about things that are taught or going on in the school that you don’t like...
Third. Get in touch with local tea party folks and/or 9/12 groups. Ask if anyone would be interested in having a small sign rally in front of the school, and be prepared to share with them what the issue is. It could be just to stand out there with signs that read “THIS SCHOOL IS OFFENDED BY CHRISTMAS TREES!” or “NO CHRISTMAS TREES FOR OUR SCHOOL, SOMEONE WAS OFFENDED!” Or you could pick another issue....it is your school, you decide...
Fourth. Prepare anyone who joins you with a simple message to give to others who ask about the rally, or want to debate the rally. My advice would be to always start with this phrase, “I AM MAIN STREAM” Like this... “I am main stream. Main Stream Americans celebrate Christmas. It is part of our culture and our tradition. Main Stream Americans are not offended my Christmas. Main Stream Americans are not offended my Hannakuh, or Easter, or Thanksgiving, or Valentines Day. It is simply unacceptable for our children to not enjoy cultural holidays and traditions in the public square even at their own schools, just because someone is offended. This should be a community decision, not a special interest pressure levied upon our children.” The key here is to make it clear how simple and reasonable you are, and how out of sync and abusive the other side is.
Fifth. Write up a press release. DO NOT tip your hand in the press release. Do NOT use the term Main Stream in your press release. Just announce the time and day of the event and the reason for the protest. Be sure to include contact info in your press release. If contacted, tell them that you would love to answer any questions they have, AT THE EVENT.... do not answer any questions beforehand, other than when, where, and what.....not why, nothing else. And be SURE to have others there at the event on your side with cameras. But most important-— Make sure those that show up understand that the message they share with media and others is “I am main stream” ... stay calm and simple...do not get heated or yell. but be direct at how simple this really is. This is about the fringe special interest people trying to reshape our culture and targeting our children to do so....
I hope this helps....
oh yeah! I forgot... the argument will most likely be that the teacher is offended, and this is HER work place....media may say, “Doesn’t this teacher have the right to not be offended in the work place. Should they be forced to participate in things at work that offend them.”
My reply, “This is a school for children, this is not a government jobs bank. Surely this teacher did not go through their entire educational career and prepare for this job with no knowledge of traditional school activities. They chose this career. I am sure they did not show up and suddenly find out that main stream American schools display Christmas Trees. I can’t imagine a doctor keeping their post in a hospital if they expected to never see bare skin in the work place because it might offend them.”
Yeah, all the Halloween crap has always offended me, a Christian, yet the ghosts, witches, and goblins still hang from every classroom door in October. This person does not have the right to go through life unoffended.
Depending on how much time you have to devote to this, you can do quick things like phone calls, maybe even calls to your local news outlets, or you can give it much MORE of your time and energy by committing to a prolonged fight. It’s amazing what negative public pressure can do to these wimpy schools.
I know quite a few people like that, and I have never seen or heard them protesting public/private displays of Christmas trees...they just don't participate in the holiday.
IMO, the government-run schools are hopeless and have been for a long time. However, even if you decide to withdraw your child and put him in home or private school, I would not go down without publicizing this to the hilt. At least make this experience worth SOMETHING.
“You forgot one more group, hardcore fundemendalist Christians who believe it is a pagan practice.”
I wonder where we got that from? Maybe form the word of God?
Jeremiah 10:
Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Notice that word “heathen”?
When did they *start* having Christmas trees in school? I never had them in class (70s and 80s). My kids didn’t have them (90s). My husband never had them in classrooms and he lived all over the country thanks to the USAF. When did it become a given????
I’m offended by the offended!
A supervisor in a local workplace is bothered by (maybe even allergic to) any scents, such as hairsprays, colognes, scented deodorants,and lotions. So all of her one hundred employees abide by that restriction. The reasoning is that others are probably bothered by these fragrances, too. So, the workplace is totally devoid of any aromas whatsoever. Although I can see the rationale for that situation, I think that at some point, you cannot dictate all of your preferences, desires, and values to the rest of the world. I get offended every single day but say nothing. Hey, even Obama bumper stickers raise my BP to dangerously high levels, but sometimes the attitude should be “live and let live.”
1) Bombard the office with outraged calls.
2) Bombard the district office with calls.
3) Call Fox News (O’Reilly and Hannity) and try and have it featured on their show.
4) Use email to find another 100 outraged parents.
5) Make an appointment with the principal and ask the others to come with you for the meeting. 100 angry faces in front of the principal will do wonders.
6) Have one family come each day and place a pre-decorated Christmas tree in the lobby. Bring the media or a videocamera that will show the school’s response, especially if they try and push you out each day.
Basically, liberals and low-intelligent cowards. They do not have the strength of their convictions in the presence of strong, dedicated Americans. They WILL back down if you overwhelm them.
So what?
You’ll have one at home, right?
I don’t ever remember going to a school that had a decorated christmas tree. We had holiday decorations on the walls and christmas tree crafts in art, but I don’t find this all that unusual.
One year when my son was in the second grade his school replaced Christmas with “winter holiday.” All the art supplies were supposed to be used to make winter snow scenes. I made sure I went to the Winter Party and I positioned myself at the arts and crafts table to help the kids with their art. My son and I did the first one. The cotton which was supposed to be use for snow became Santa’s beard and the rim around his hat. The blue sprinkles which were suppose to be releflecting the sun on the winter snow became Santa’s twinkling eyes. The red glitter was his beautiful cap. His lips were red and white sparkles mixed together. The most beautiful Santa I ever saw.
Soon all the kids wanted this kind of winter holiday picture so we got busy making winter holiday baby Jesus, Santa, raindeers, Mary and Joseph, mangers, Christmas trees and wreathes, Glittering churches with steeples, the Star of Winter’s Holiday’s Bethlehem...
The cookies I brought to the winter holiday party were winter Christmas trees, winter Santas, etc. and my son gave out winter holiday Christmas candies as winter holiday presents to all the kids in the class. The teachers got candied apples with christmas icing decorations.
Sometimes you don’t bother arguing. You just do what ya wanna do and smile. Two teachers secretly thanked me for rescuing Christmas.
The ONLY thing that 99% of school boards listen to is... money. Find ways to threaten their budget, and they’ll do as they’re told. Best way to reduce their budget is to reduce the number of children enrolled. Home school, private school, move out of the district, openly encourage many others to do so. They know most people won’t take those large steps, so mere threats to do so are usually ignored.
>> That’s new for Lowe’s. In years past, they have avoided saying “Christmas.”
Yes, they did.
There are a few in the minority that hate Christians, and there are a few in the majority that think it’s hip to eliminate it from the public square. I think the hipsters have influenced the marketing process for many of these companies - the same turds that gratuitously make use of the “green” symbolism.
DEMAND...that the school stay open on Christmas and that the teachers BE THERE! Tell them if they are going to have a “Christmas ‘ Holiday...they have a tree. Or cancel the holiday.
I bet those teachers won’t like THAT....and they will change and have the tree BEFORE THEY EVER CANCEL THE DAY!
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