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Using a four-year old surrogate for this conduct is reprehensible. How about a kids giving a classmate a "gift" of a pencil that promotes the virtues of---pick your most vehemently opposed antiAmerican group, policy, etc. What then would be the response of all those sanctimonious posters who would object to something they believe is not appropriate for a class like the one mentioned here?
51 -middle-

Good point.

Could you imagine the reaction if a little kid was handing out "Abortion is Free Choice" labeled pencils?

Could you imagine the reaction if a little kid was handing out "Abortion is Free Choice" labeled pencils?

Yeah, imagine if kids had a Halloween Party!

Or, God forbid, the schools were closed on Christmas day!

Thanks, precisely my point.

Yeah, the only problem with your logic is that anything purchased for a 4 yr old is done by the parent and likely chosen by the parent so what is your point? A parent will choose the clothes a 4 yr old wears too--should a Muslim parent be chastized for using his 4 yr old as a "surrogate" when he sends his daughter to school in a hajib?
Should she be forced to take it off so she does not force her religious ideals on other students?
Perhaps a Baptist child should not be allowed to wear anything with Veggie Tales since the videos promote Christian values?
Perhaps Catholic children should not show any pictures of themselves in First Communion atire to their friends? Heck, perhaps they shouldn't even wear crosses around their necks? After all we wouldn't want them to be a "surrogate" for the parents beliefs now would we?

Now, for your abortion comment. Abortion is a political issue. It truly has no place in the pre kinder/kinder classroom. It has roots in sexual behavior which is inappropriate for children this age. A teacher would be well within good judgement to not allow such items in a room.I could even see not allowing very graphic religious images(Jesus on the cross may be troubling for a 4 yr old never exposed to Christianity) or religious literature that isolates and makes children feel bad for what their parents have taught them(I'm talking only my religion is right stuff). Jesus loves me pencil during share time when all the other children are sharing stuff is hardly offensive. If the mother had then interjected asking the children i they knew who Jesus was and all that, then maybe it would have been crossing a line. Look, either you let Christian children be Christian children in the schools or you banish all religious expression in the schools(including athiestic views). You don't accept the tax dollars of Christian parents and then tell them their children can not express their deeply held beliefs anywhere on public property. If you wish that our schools were Christian-free, kick us all out and be sure to refund us our school tax money on the way out the door. Until then, these children should be allowed the same religious expression as a Muslim child wearing her hajib would because prolestizing in such a manner is a mandate nearly uniformly in Christian doctrine--it is not a minority practice of some backwoods faction.

Look, nobody is saying to give Christian children a seperate forum to prolestize, but if a Christian child does so in the confines of a legitamate school activity or assignment, how can you have a problem with it? Why is every other manner of expression sanctioned, condoned, and encouraged(under the guise of diversity) but if a Christian child dares express love, appreciation, or enthusiam about his deeply held religious beliefs he should be gagged, punished, and ridiculed? I'm only saying that as long as we continue teaching the diversity doctrine in schools, this applies to ALL students, including the Christian ones. To disallow Christian beliefs is to disallow Muslim one, Buddhist ones, and even athiestic ones too. To accomadate Muslim, Buddhist, and athiestic beliefs and practices is to accomadate Christian beliefs and practices too. Liberals have been using a double standard for a long time when it comes to diversity issues and some of the athiests and other sorts on this board usually go along out of what I can only believe is their shared hatred for Christianity.