School nativity plays under threat[UK]

Telegraph ^ | 03 Dec 2007 | Julie Henry and Vikki Miller

[BGHater]

Shepherds dressed in old sheets, Christmas carols and the competition to see who will play Mary and Joseph… nativity plays have been a feature of British primary-school life for generations.

But a survey has revealed that headteachers are watering down or ditching the centuries-old Christmas story in favour of secular tales to avoid upsetting pupils of other faiths.

Only one in five schools are ­planning to perform a traditional nativity play this year. They are now outnumbered by schools that say they will be either putting on a non-religious play, such as Scrooge or Snow White, or giving no performance at all.

Almost half the schools said they planned to put on modern reinterpretations of the Christmas story, with extra characters, new songs and modern themes, such as The Bossy King, Whoops-a-Daisy Angel or The Hoity-Toity Angel.

The findings will add to fears that Christian teachings are being abandoned by schools, despite the wishes of parents. Recent surveys show an overwhelming majority of families would like the nativity play, telling the story of Christ's birth, to live on in schools.

Experts on religious education said headteachers were failing in their duty as educators if they ignored one of the most central stories in our culture. Terence Copley, Professor of Educational Studies at Oxford University, said the idea that the nativity could offend other faiths was "crazy".

"I have never met a single Jew, Muslim, Sikh or Buddhist who has objected to the commemoration and celebration of the birth of Jesus," he said. "In Islam, he is a prophet and his birth is described in the Koran. It is not other religions that are pushing for this at all.

"If we avoid Christmas we are pandering to a secular minority and allowing the event to become all about commercialism, presents and self-indulgence.

"There's nothing wrong with a bit of self-indulgence but if we don't teach about Christmas and deal with it confidently, not just in RE, we are failing in our duty as educators."

The Sunday Telegraph survey of 100 schools found that 36 per cent were staging religion-free Christmas plays or planning no event this winter. That compares with a similar survey in 2004 that found one in seven schools producing no nativity play.

Several of the schools surveyed said the nativity tableau was no longer a feature because the intake was ethnically mixed and staff had to be aware of "not offending anyone".

A spokesman for a school in Barking, east London, where half of the intake is white British, said: "We are not putting on a play; instead we are having a talk about a Czech winter play. We don't feel the need to have the nativity. We are an ethnically diverse school and want to learn about other cultures."

A teacher from Albion Primary School in Southwark, south London, where 50 per cent of children are from ethnic minorities, said the school had not performed a nativity play for at least five years and that it had to take account of all faiths.

One school in Birmingham, where 96 per cent of children are Muslim, said: "We're reluctant to have a lot of music and acting because it goes against the religion of a lot of our pupils. We will stick to discussing the things we can take out of the festivals. So instead of the three men bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh, they will bring, for example, peace and co-operation."

Monica Galt, the head of King Road Primary in Manchester, said: "We're multicultural but we always do some form of nativity. We're doing Whoops-a-Daisy Angel this year. We'll have shepherds, donkeys, camels, cows - the lot."

Rupert Kaye, of the Association of Christian Teachers, said: "School nativity plays are a cultural treasure. Christmas encourages all people to appreciate our rich human culture and to ponder the profound and sacred."

Popular secular productions this year

• Winter Festival • Scrooge • Snow White • Arabian Nights • Snow Queen • Santa's Grotto • Hansel and Gretel

Nativity plays with a twist

• The Bossy King • Countdown to Christmas • Whoops-a-Daisy Angel • The Late Wise Men • The Hoity-Toity Angel • Hosanna Rocks • Wriggly Nativity

[BGHater]

A survey of schools has revealed that headteachers are watering down or ditching the centuries-old Christmas story in favour of secular tales to avoid upsetting pupils from ethnic minorities

Changing Christmas: Pupils at King Road Primary in Manchester put on their Whoops-a-Daisy Angel

Only one in five schools is planning to hold a traditional nativity play this year

They are now outnumbered by schools which say they will either be putting on a non-religious play, such as Scrooge or Snow White, or would be holding no performance at all

Almost half the schools said they planned to put on modern reinterpretations of the Christmas story, with extra characters, new songs and modern themes and names like The Bossy King, Whoops-a-daisy Angel or the Hoity Toity Angel

The findings will add to fears that traditional Christian teachings are being abandoned by schools, despite the wishes of parents

Recent surveys have shown an overwhelming majority of families said they would like the nativity play - telling the story of Christ’s birth - to live on in schools

Experts on religious education in schools said that head teachers were failing in their duty as educators if they ignored one of the most central stories in our culture.

[boomop1]

PC will kill us eons before global warming (which is a sham).

[Red Badger]

I was Joseph once in Christmas play as a kid. Easiest part there is. You don’t do anything but knock on the door of the inn..................

[Larebil]

“Some form of Nativity”

What the heck?

If the mudslimes are now making people uneasy to celebrate holidays that are contrary to mudslimes, then GOD HELP US ALL.

[massgopguy]

Dear teachers of the country formally known s England, here is a knife. Now hold out your throat and start slicing. It is Allah’s will and you will upset many ethnic minorities if you don’t.

[BGHater]

Lol, I was the inn keeper, once. Easy day for my thespian aspirations.

[fweingart]

Jesus isn't welcome in UK schools and is only welcome in very few US institutions of 'higher' learning.

Don't upset the minorities, but keep the 'season' as holidays for non-believers and chain stores.

Holiday Trees.

Happy Holidays.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

They are now outnumbered by schools that say they will be either putting on a non-religious play, such as Scrooge or Snow White

Ah yes, Snow White... that enduring Christmas classic.

[CDFingers]

“Happy Winter Solstice Holiday Mr. Scrooge! and welfare bless us, everyone.”

[doodad]

Well, let’s see. These other “faiths” are not exactly freshly sprung either so why is this suddenly a problem?

[Disciplinemisanthropy]

happy ramadan, muhammed the bear

[wildandcrazyrussian]

They told us here in the USA way back in 1962 that anything to do with religious observances of this kind in school were unconstitutional, and I am actually surprised to hear they are allowed in England, which I thought was even farther gone.

[El Cid]

Re:4
If the mudslimes are now making people uneasy to celebrate holidays that are contrary to mudslimes, then GOD HELP US ALL.

I throw a lot of stuff at the mohammedans, but I doubt this one lands on their doorsteps. They do not understand that Jesus is God, but their book does concur with the Virgin Birth.

My guess is the folks offended by the Nativity scenes are just the standard secularist/atheists that focus their wrath on Christianity (as the dark does not like the Light)...

[Winniesboy]

They told us here in the USA way back in 1962 that anything to do with religious observances of this kind in school were unconstitutional, and I am actually surprised to hear they are allowed in England, which I thought was even farther gone.

Not only are they allowed, they are actually required by law. For the last 60 years all British schools have been required to conduct a daily act of collective worship. Even in the latest amendment, in 1988, this is required to be "wholly, or mainly, of a broadly Christian character". This is almost the direct opposite, I believe, of the legal situation in the U.S.

[Larebil]

“They do not understand that Jesus is God, but their book does concur with the Virgin Birth.”

Not that they don’t, it is blasphemous to believe so. NO ONE is close or equal to allah. Christ had special powers bestowed by allah, NOTHING MORE.
This is right from the koran. Jesus is viewed as a prophet of allah. For a muslim to believe he is the son of God is a no no.
Again, these are the words from the koran.

[El Cid]

Re: 15

Agreed.

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not..."

Prayers for these folks whose eyes and minds are blinded by satan and his minions (of which mohammed was but one).

[Larebil]

“Prayers for these folks whose eyes and minds are blinded by satan and his minions (of which mohammed was but one).”

Amen