LOL. Let's not for get all the girls named Christen, or Christine. Or all the hispanic kids named 'Jesus.'
Posted on 12/16/2004 2:09:10 PM PST by JesseHousman
Some young Freeland students came home from school last week upset and confused about a new pair of words they believed were taboo -- "Merry Christmas."
Maria Gordon of Freeland expressed anger and disbelief as she presented her concerns Monday night to the Freeland School Board. She said her second grade twins, who attend the Learning Center, told her during dinner Friday that they are not allowed to say "Merry Christmas" in the school.
"You hear about it in other districts, but I never thought it would happen here," Gordon said. She said she believes the ban stems from a memo that was circulated among the teachers.
Learning Center Principal Beverly Beyer said this morning before school that she is "flabbergasted" by the situation, but believes the rumored memo might stem from a well-intentioned e-mail she sent to teachers.
"I did ask them to say 'happy holidays,'" she said. "We have students from many different countries and many different cultures, so saying 'happy holidays,' I thought, would allow us to celebrate all the different cultures."
The e-mail was not intended to censor students, and she planned a teacher's meeting before school this morning to clear up any confusion it might have caused.
Allen Veenkant, superintendent of the Freeland Community School District, said the children are not banned from using the term "Christmas."
"There was nothing said to anyone, that I am aware of, regarding the word 'Christmas,'" he said. "Yes, they can say 'Christmas.' They can say 'Merry Christmas.' It's their First Amendment right."
Melissa Ridenour, the mother of a second grade Learning Center student, said her son was afraid the word "Christmas" might be a new type of swear word.
"He said, 'Mom, what happens if I say it accidentally? Will I get in trouble?'" she said.
She believes the children cannot all be imagining or blowing out of proportion what was said about using the words.
"They must have talked to them at some length, because (my son) said he cannot say the word 'Christmas' because of the 'Christ' that's in it," she said.
Daniel Karbowski, president of the Freeland board of education, said he was surprised by the complaint, but said the children might have misunderstood statements made to them. He said students are not banned from wishing others a Merry Christmas. If they believe they cannot, they will be told differently.
"They will be allowed to say it in the school," he said.
Reader Opinions:
Jane Gordon Dec, 15 2004 I used to live in Midland, I now live in a very small town in nothern Florida. We are going thru the same thing here. My 5 year old son came home with a note from his teacher. The note read please ask your son not to say god in my classroom. They asked me to sign the note and send it back. NOT A CHANCE. I kept it. I am just amazed at the fuss about using WORDS. People can walk the street and use curse words with nothing said. But kids say GOD or MERRY CHRISTMAS and it is a problem????? We need to worry about ourselves and our familys not what people are saying. SO here it is MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND GOD BLESS.....
Ilmars Dobulis Dec, 15 2004 I am thankful that the Freeland schools allow wishing one another a “Merry Christmas”. As a Christian, I feel honored if someone wishes me a Jewish, Hindu or Islamic blessing. I would hope that people of other faiths accept a greeting from a different faith in a similar manner. It is a sad commentary on our society if multiculturalism results in bland, non-culturalism, blending everything into a nondescript hodgepodge that means nothing. I believe a far better approach would be to allow the expression of all beliefs. It is very disappointing that first Christmas became Xmas, and now the trend seems to be moving us to a generic “holidays”.
Linda Davila Dec, 14 2004 What in the world is happening to our country that a little child can not say Merry Christmas? I thought our country was founded on freedom of religion. Is this how Russia started out? Did you also send a memo telling them they can`t greet each other in any other religion?
This isn't just in a few isolated places. The anti-Christmas forces are at work in every school district in the nation. The PC goons are in charge of the government schools and the parents don't have the wherewithall to wrestle control away from the zealots.
I just don't allow therm to have my children.
I'd tell my children to make sure they said "Merry Christmas" at least once each hour, nice and loud. Not during lessons, but during those breaks between them.
:)
"They must have talked to them at some length, because (my son) said he cannot say the word 'Christmas' because of the 'Christ' that's in it," she said."All boys with the name "Christopher" please report to the principal's office ..."
LOL. Let's not for get all the girls named Christen, or Christine.
As I was tearing up and feeling so bad that this school is being closed I remembered that I am responsible for it remaining open the last 25 yrs. When they tried to close it then I got mad and I fought and when the school board told me "no" and then refused to listen to me I started a movement to recall the whole school board. We recalled them and we got our school back.
Every Christian needs to start fighting this BS. We should start locally, if a school board comes up with this nonsense, recall them, if it's a mayor, recall them.
What? They don't celebrate Christmas in other countries and cultures!? And, besides, screw the other cultures. This is America!! Do you expect if you were attending school in any other foreign country that they would suddenly include elements of your culture and language to the detriment of their culture and language just so you would "feel" included!?? Stupid!!!!
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And a very Merry Christmas SANTA Salute 2-U-All:
http://www.lzxray.com/Ronnie3.jpg
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LOL. Let's not for get all the girls named Christen, or Christine. Or all the hispanic kids named 'Jesus.'
"the parents don't have the wherewithall to wrestle control away from the zealots." Yes they do! They can organize the voters in their community to find out who are the "anti-Christs" in their school system. Vote them off the school boards, etc. It is making news today about a Councilman in Colorado, being recalled by the voters "because he refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance ("with God in it"). Too long we have stood by and let the ACLU, "People for the American Way' (?) and other leftist groups take over our county. Time to fight back, folks.
Amen.
bump
Famous last words.
Look at the word Diversity... the Buzz word of the left.
di·ver·si·ty (d-vûrs-t, d-) KEY
NOUN: pl. di·ver·si·ties The fact or quality of being diverse; difference. A point or respect in which things differ. Variety or multiformity: "Charles Darwin saw in the diversity of species the principles of evolution that operated to generate the species: variation, competition and selection" (Scientific American).
The fact or quality of being different.....Hmmmmm.. So what are we trying to teach our children with Diversity that everyone is different... what ever happen to America the great melting pot? Do we now have to keep our ingredients segregated?
I real looked at what this does to our country. Because you have all these groups that have subscribed to the belief that diversity is a positive thing. It has now cause essentially cases of bigotry, discrimination, and religious persecution. Now are these actions that I just labeled above at the levels that they have been in the past in the US? No..But they are occurring just the same. When you have Christians that are afraid of economic or legal consequence for displaying their nativity scenes they are being denied the first amendment rights or freedom of expression. (I am not referring to just the cases of nativities on public spaces, private home owners have been threatened for their Christmas displays.) When you have kids that are afraid to say Merry Christmas in school because the have been told mention Christ's name can be considered harassing to non Christian students, yet those students are allow to discuss freely and celebrate their religious/cultural holidays with school backing.. that is just another form of discrimination.
The levels of discord that this country has been brought to regarding the equal treatments of religions/ethnicities/race/sex/sexual preference/etc are all programs and cause that i have seen in the past 15 years being advanced by the left.
They are willing to sacrifice the Ideals that the founding fathers created for this country. The Ideals that made this country a place where many different religions/race/etc could flee persecution or start a new life with unlimited opportunity. The felt they could do so safely.
I still think that the America that I grew up in in the 70's and 80's still exists. The one America that is the melting pot of all different races, etc working together toward common goals and dreams.
I do think that the political agenda of the left progressive/socialism as it where, has done their best to try and disguise that with multiculturalism and trying to segment and pander to different groups to try to gain power on the political playing field.
On the upside of that though, there were 62 million of US on Nov. 2 that voted that we did not like the Ideas that the Democrats and the left were selling (if they were selling anything.)
I know this has been a little long and rambling but it got some thought out of my head, and leads me to this conclusion.
Yes it is difficult to celebrate the holidays especially since you have folks that want to make it their business to make sure that you don't celebrate the true meaning of the holiday. Some are gullible puppets of the left..Some believe whole heartedly they are justified in their cause. You will never change their minds. Neither should they be able to change yours.
I have but one suggestion during this holiday season. I am sure most of you are already on board with this idea, but it is my way of fighting the left. Regardless of whom you are talking to if you feel the need to offer a holiday greeting wish them that Merry Christmas. Leave it at that. don't debate it, don't argue with them about it. Just wish the Merry Christmas and if need be walk away. They are only effective in eliminating Christmas if we a people let them.
I believe there was a great man once that made the comment "Give to God What is his, and give to Cesar what is Cesar's." I firmly believe this. What better what to live that then to give to God what is his, the celebration of the birth of his Son. (btw-He would be the author of said quote that I posted.) Celebrate in the way you see fit, don't let others dictate to you how to celebrate it. (let me stress this..I mean celebrating reasonably with in traditional means.. I don't want it misconstrued that advocate some celebrating it violently etc..)
The laws that oppressed people before in this country have since fallen off the books as laws. My suspicion (history will be the ultimate judge.) is that the rules and laws in some of the municipalities and school systems will to fall by the wayside of history.
But I think a simple act of what some would consider civil disobedience will not only keep this holiday alive, but expand the holiday spirit, and my personal belief is that it puts a heck of a smile on God's face.
I know my rant is preaching to the Choir here for the most part. Perhaps this will catch a lurker or a troll out there and give them a moments pause to reflect what they truly believe. After all that is part of this season, giving.
So my Gift to all FReepers Regardless of race, religion, etc is that you have the Most blessed Christmas time. I hope that you have family and friends near or at least close to the heart during this time. That you are able to celebrate the joy of the season with all that are in your thoughts. I would also like to especially say thank you to both Jim Robinson for giving each of this forum for our independent voices to be heard. I would also like to Thank all the Active duty FReepers that are out doing what they do best...defending the USA, and all Veterans for the sacrifice you have made to keep this Country free.
My final comment...(hope it doesn't get me banned...J/K)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
P.s. Thanks folks for letting me Rant..I appreciate that little gift that you all allow from time to time! :) God Bless us All (even the democrats) and God Bless America!
My son is singing "Light the candle, spin the dridle?sp?" in Kindergarten for the holiday program. I am a Christian but I don't mind. However, when I go to the program next Tuesday, I am going to be looking to see if at least one group has a Christian song. He did ask when we were putting up our Menorah lights. He goes to church and Sunday school, and he would prefer to sing "O little town of Bethlehem".
Moral Absolutes Ping. (Just a reminder that I lost many of the names on this pinglist, so anyone wanting on/back on/off, ping me!)
The Tsunami of the elimination of Christmas, and therefore freedom of religious expression, gets closer. It's really beyond belief.
I MUST get "Brave New World" and "1984" and re-read them.
"Whatever is not mandatory is forbidden".
Imagine the horror of a boy named Christian.
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