Posted on 12/09/2004 10:38:26 PM PST by Kryptonite
School District Critics Plan Nativity Scene, 'Silent Night' Performances
MUSTANG, Okla. -- Lakehoma Elementary School's annual Christmas performance was to include a rendition of "Silent Night" on Thursday evening after Mustang school officials reached a compromised in a dispute over Christian religious elements in the program.
The decision came after a number of Mustang residents complained and others announced plans to stage a silent protest Thursday night during the evening performance. Superintendent Karl Springer had originally banned a staged nativity scene and the singing of "Silent Night" because of First Amendment concerns.
However, during an early performance of the program on Thursday, parents and grandparents who attended the program said they were surprised to hear "Silent Night" in its entirety.
Mustang resident Gerald Lett said he thought it was ridiculous to ban the song in the first place.
"I think it's asinine," Lett said. "It's another case of taking our rights away to serve somebody's minority rights."
Community members said they were deeply concerned by the school district's decision to ban the Christian elements of the school's holiday program, which also discusses cultural and religious traditions such as Kwanzaa and Chanukah.
But the school district concluded Thursday morning that the song and the nativity scene were separate elements. The school district's attorney said that previous Supreme Court decisions have allowed Christmas songs in schools, which made it acceptable to reinstate the song.
Community member Diana Merrill said she was pleased to hear the song during Thursday's special performance.
"I'm glad they had it in," Merrill said. "I mean, that's part of Christmas, and that's where it belongs -- in a Christmas play."
Despite the inclusion of the song, some concerned parents and other community members still planned to stage a nativity scene on private property across from the Mustang High School auditorium, where the evening production was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Protest organizers also told Eyewitness News 5 that a group sponsored by the Mustang United Methodist Church plans to sing "Silent Night" across from the school.
The nativity scene was still excluded from the performance as of Thursday afternoon.
On Thursday, Springer told The Associated Press that he does not approve of students playing the Biblical roles of Mary, Joseph and the three wise men, which was planned as part of the original version of the play.
Previous Story:
Dec. 8, 2004: Mustang School Removes Christian Portion Of Holiday Play
Karl Springer and the perp whom he claims threatened him need to be zotted, Sooner-style. Christmas is all about the birth of Christ.
There's a passage in the Bible that I think we should start looking to for inner strength and gumption these days as Christians.
The story regarding Jesus overturning of the money-changers tables outside the temple in Jeruselem has an object lesson in it that I think we should look to.
Jesus Himself became animated and took physical action to display his disgust with the apostate condition of the process. I'm not advocating physical action, but I am advocating Christians start developing some backbone, and implementing tangible efforts to neuter the ACLU and other avowed enemies of their faith.
I've had enough of the athiest hordes, and I'm not even the world's best Christian.
Me too. I'm not even a Sooner, but I'm taking pride in those folks who switched gears and staged their own nativity scene, as well as the kids who performed "Silent Night".
i'm sad to see that this PC nonsense is even happening in my beloved former home state.
You and me both. I was glad to read about their actions.
Thanks for the response. I am glad that even though you aren't "convinced", that you can see the dynamics at play here and see your way clear to denounce the conserted efforts against Christianity.
While Christianity (the movement) is not perfect, the alternatives (other movements) are far less perfect and have far less to offer when it comes to morals and the directive that we try to live a good life.
Humans including Christians are falible and will fail. At least Christian's do aspire to honorable ethics and wholesome morals.
"religious traditions such as Kwanzaa"
Kwanzaa is not a religious tradition; it's a fraud invented from whole cloth out of hatred for "whitey."
No wonder the kids can't read when they leave these schools, the Superintendent can't read either. The Constitution says Government shall make no laws against religion, precisely what he did. Humanists with the club of Government in their hand, the new State Religion.
You've got another non-christian in this battle with you.
I don't think God should be taken out of the schools and many in this Anti-Christmas movement need to understand the differences between worship, praise, entertainment, celebration, establishment etc. The removal of the knowledge of any religion/God from educational(read as not proselytizing) instruction is dangerous. We are a diverse nation and children need to know that there are many different versions of religion. They need to know it was Christian religious persecution that was a driving factor to the founding of this nation.
It is at this time of year is when I see religiuos persecution against Christians. When they take the Christians out of the public square, who is next? Who will be next to have their, "free exercise there of" denied? It's a public square, established by the government, for all the people.
Singing Christmas Carols is not establishing religion. I think the Christmas religious songs are the world most beautiful songs to a weary world. Songs of HOPE. Stamping our HOPE in our world is what this movement is about. This Sat. the Olde Stone Church is giving their Christmas Choir Concert and I am going.
When a Christian says to me MERRY CHRISTMAS, I recognize what they're saying and that you all are wishing for me and my family the VERY BEST of what you believe. What a more beuatiful thing is there than the aura of divine love?
Have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed Yule.
The Secular Taliban strikes again, eh?
These Christian haters should get professional help for their self-esteem problems, instead of beating up on Christans.
School districts around the country need to find out about this:
700 lawyers ready to fight ACLU lawsuits
Legal group's 'Christmas Project' designed to protect public schools
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41610
Many public school officials act as though such prohibitions were clearly laid on in the Constitution and defensively ban every vestige of "religious expression" out of fear of an expensive ACLU lawsuit.
But this year, help is on the way: An army of 700 lawyers is being deployed to protect America's schools from the ACLU grinch.
[more at link]
Great anecdote! BTTT for the teachers out there.
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