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Pa. school district asks bus drivers to 'remove' Christmas decor for 'inclusivity,' sparking outrage
WHP ^ | 19 December A.D. 2023 | Jason Walker

Posted on 12/19/2023 8:16:12 PM PST by lightman

PHILADELPHIA (CITC) — A Pennsylvania school district is walking back a message to bus drivers instructing them to remove all Christmas decorations from their buses.

A memo initially sent to drivers at Wallingford-Swarthmore School District demanded they remove any decorations associated with the holiday, citing a need for "inclusivity" and a district policy concerning religious holidays.

“If you have decorated your bus with anything specific to the Christmas Holiday or any other decorations relating to a specific religion, please remove them immediately,” a copy of the memo obtained by Crisis in the Classroom (CITC) reads. “In addition, employees are instructed not to wear clothing related to Christmas or any other religious holiday.”

The directive drew widespread outrage online, leading community members to confront the school district over the policy.

“In response to community concerns I have received about religious neutrality, I reminded the Supervisor of Transportation to remind you to find a balance of the District’s attempts to be inclusive of a diverse range of holiday traditions,” Wallingford-Swarthmore Superintendent Wagner Marseille wrote in a letter obtained by CITC. “To the extent that this reminder led to the communication that decorations and songs typically associated with the Christmas holiday were not permitted, this was not the intent, and efforts have been made internally to clarify this point to avoid any confusion moving forward.”

In another communication, Marseille explained to district parents that the message had caused unintended confusion.

“I did not intend -- in any way -- for drivers to feel they needed to turn off the holiday music, take down all the decorations or not wear any holiday clothing,” the superintendent said. “I want to be abundantly clear that we are not in any way trying to remove all signs of Christmas from our school buses or our schools."

Commenters on the school district’s Facebook page expressed outrage nonetheless.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS you Christian hating libs,” one jeered.

“Attn bus drivers: ‘Please don’t forget to cover your bus in pride flags and wear you pride clothing in June!’” another said.

Wallingford-Swarthmore is not the only school district to attempt to place restrictions on holidays recently. The South Orange and Maplewood School District in New Jersey came under fire in October for banning Halloween costumes and activities to "instill greater equity."

An elementary school principal in the district cited differing religious beliefs, saying allowing Halloween activities may push some families to "make decisions that may be counter to their belief system."

A spokesperson for Wallingford-Swarthmore told CITC Tuesday the district is “committed to providing a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students and employees.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: New Jersey; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: arth; blackracistsmatter; firstamendment; montgomerycounty; naacpsuperintendent; suetheschool; swarthmore; wagnermarseille; waronchristmas
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1 posted on 12/19/2023 8:16:12 PM PST by lightman
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To: fatima; Fresh Wind; st.eqed; xsmommy; House Atreides; Nowhere Man; PaulZe; brityank; Physicist; ...

Pennsylvania Ping!

Please ping me with articles of interest.

FReepmail me to be added to the list.

2 posted on 12/19/2023 8:16:58 PM PST by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: metmom

ARTH ping.


3 posted on 12/19/2023 8:17:31 PM PST by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: lightman

Come and take it.


4 posted on 12/19/2023 8:18:31 PM PST by Mouton (US Home to one party rule)
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To: lightman

What kind of back peddling word salad is that?


5 posted on 12/19/2023 8:20:58 PM PST by SkyDancer (~A Bizjet Is Nothing But An Executive Mailing Tube ~)
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To: lightman

If it’s not Christmas break, then district staff and faculty should be expected to work on Dec 25. That only seems fair and inclusive.


6 posted on 12/19/2023 8:24:08 PM PST by ConservaTexan (February 6, 1911/June 14, 1944)
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To: SkyDancer

Typical school administration-ese by bureaucrats who cannot ever admit that they were wrong.


7 posted on 12/19/2023 8:24:15 PM PST by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: lightman

Celebrating the Winter Solstice with greens like holly or an evergreen tree predates Christianity in Europe. Hostility towards Christmas decorations is just hostility towards European culture and traditions. They can go ‘eff off.


8 posted on 12/19/2023 8:26:58 PM PST by Dr. Franklin ("A republic, if you can keep it." )
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To: lightman

They are worried about offending everyone except Christians.


9 posted on 12/19/2023 8:27:33 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants ( "It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled."- Mark Twain)
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To: lightman

Get that darned Christmas-colored sign off the side of the bus.

And those red blinking Christmas lights have to go.


10 posted on 12/19/2023 8:29:28 PM PST by Scrambler Bob
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To: lightman

Wagner Marseille needs to be dragged by the heels behind a school bus.


11 posted on 12/19/2023 8:42:37 PM PST by Noumenon (You're not voting your way out of this. KTF)
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To: lightman

Time to send all the inclusivity arsehos back to the crapholes they crawled out of. The is America. Our America! You jackasses need to go home and be idiots there.


12 posted on 12/19/2023 9:08:21 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Get the illegal alien refugees out of our government.)
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To: SkyDancer

Nothing to do with a fear of losing your job, eh! Liberals are so full of it


13 posted on 12/19/2023 9:09:10 PM PST by V V Camp Enari 67-68 ( This clears up a lot of misconception)
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To: lightman

Filthadelphia area, no surprise.

*spit*


14 posted on 12/19/2023 9:14:26 PM PST by tomkat
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To: V V Camp Enari 67-68

Liberal scum of the earth strikes again


15 posted on 12/19/2023 9:14:37 PM PST by inchworm (al )
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To: lightman
A spokesperson for Wallingford-Swarthmore told CITC Tuesday the district is “committed to providing a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students and employees.”

🤢🤮

16 posted on 12/19/2023 9:23:54 PM PST by Allegra (Less propaganda would be appreciated.)
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To: tomkat

Yup, one of the “main line” blue ‘burbs.

Ritzy hive of “higher education” drones.


17 posted on 12/19/2023 9:26:45 PM PST by lightman (I am a binary Trinitarian. Deal with it!)
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To: lightman

“”remove any decorations associated with the holiday, citing a need for “inclusivity””

Unless you are a Christian.

According to the feds you are a terrorist.

.


18 posted on 12/19/2023 9:33:43 PM PST by TLI (ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA)
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To: lightman

Merry CHRISTmas.......we have to say it to everyone and anyone....remember to try to include Jesus in your holiday celebrations...your cards, your music, your prayer before you eat.


19 posted on 12/19/2023 9:36:57 PM PST by cherry
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To: lightman

that superintendent knew exactly what she was saying and then she even lied about that....


20 posted on 12/19/2023 9:38:53 PM PST by cherry
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