Someone did...
Posted on 12/01/2006 8:54:08 AM PST by Froufrou
A Christmas-themed event to raise money at a public elementary school in Warwick, N.Y., has been altered to accommodate a parent's complaints that the program would illegally spotlight a "religious" figure - Santa Claus.
"Breakfast With Santa" has since been changed to "Winter Wonderland Breakfast," and -- in an effort to be inclusive of all beliefs -- the bearded one will now be joined at the Dec. 9 event by Frosty the Snowman.
Organizers made the changes after one parent charged that she and others in the community were offended that the Parent Teacher Association at the Sanfordville Elementary School was sponsoring a program geared toward one religion.
That parent, who did not wish to have her name used, wrote a letter to the school board asserting that Santa represents Christmas -- a Christian holiday -- and by law, a public school is not allowed to promote religion.
According to the Warwick Advertiser, the PTA offered to include Hanukkah traditions in the event, but the parent said she felt this still wasn't fair because it included religious activities.
"I look forward to sponsoring an event that is within the law and inclusive of all," the parent wrote in a letter to the school superintendent, Dr. Frank Greenhall. "This is not an argument about religion; it is about the law of our land. Discrimination is simply detestable."
Greenhall then contacted an attorney, who advised him in a letter that the district "should, at a minimum, modify the events to avoid potential litigation."
The complainant suggested Frosty the Snowman as an alternative icon, and the school eventually agreed to have both Frosty and Santa.
Mike Johnson, senior legal counsel for the conservative Alliance Defense Fund, told Cybercast News Service the situation was "just absurd."
"My general reaction is probably the same as 95 percent of Americans when they hear about something like this," Johnson said. "It's ridiculous that we have to think twice about whether it's OK to celebrate Christmas in public."
While acknowledging that Saint Nicholas, a Dutch bishop who had a reputation for giving gifts in secret, "clearly was the original figure that Santa is based upon," he noted that "most people would recognize Santa Claus himself as a secular-type figure."
"The underlying principle here is that the First Amendment does not guarantee any of us a right not to be offended," Johnson said. "These radical leftist types are arguing that just because 95 percent of Americans, according to recent polling, celebrate Christmas, they ought not to have that right" since a person with a different view might object.
"There's probably a small percentage of evangelical Christians in this country who don't celebrate Halloween, but would any of these leftists argue that Christians have a right to ruin the party for everyone who wants to celebrate it?" Johnson asked. "Do they have the right to tell you that you can't wish them a happy Halloween? Of course not.
"This is ultimately about religious liberty," Johnson asserted. "Everyone's rights and beliefs should be respected, and no one should be discriminated against."
Darlene Baratto, who is chairing the PTA event, told the Advertiser that, since it falls on a Saturday and attendance is optional, no one is being discriminated against.
"We have a beautiful background people can have a picture in front of," Baratto said. "That wasn't good enough. We changed the name, colors, the background," but that did not satisfy the complaining parent. "She was not open to anything. We'll have 300 or so kids who are disappointed."
Lisa Roca, another member of the breakfast committee, disputed the idea that Santa was anything but a secular character.
"Many churches try to take Santa out of Christmas because he is secular, not religious," she told the newspaper. "Their Christmas plays have nothing to do with Santa."
Catholic League President Bill Donohue called the events at the school an "exercise in tyranny."
"There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution, of course, that bans 'Breakfast with Santa' from taking place in a public school," Donohue said in a statement. "This has nothing to do with the law -- it has everything to do with bowing to the pressure of bigots."
A number of calls to the school and the PTA seeking comment for this article were not returned by press time.
Oh for crying out loud.
Greek bishop, resident in what is now Turkey, transmogrified by Dutch and Scandinavian folklore in the early modern period.
Spineless.
Just another example of political correctness carried to an extreme.
These people want to be all inclusive and not offend anybody. Yet their actions offend a lot of people. If the goal is not to offend someone, they have just done what they accuse others of and they don't give a BLANK who they offend with this nonsense.
They are not worhsipping God, instead they worship at the alter of Political Correctness. Political Correctness has rituals, articles of faith, and a belief system, just like any real religion does. We could make the case that doing anything for political correctness purposes is really a religious statement, because political correctness is a religion.
What a cowardly whore.
I should not be flabbergasted at this, but I am. Maybe this unidentified woman would like to solicit the Supreme Court or Congress and have the name Christmas removed. What is wrong with these people? Why do they remain silent for years before sounding off? Do they feel it is safe now to sound off? Yet, not safe enough to avoid being identified. Someone should find out who this woman is, paster her picture all over the internet and her address. It is getting to the point where people are getting fed up.
OK then, what about Mr. Hankey?
Transmogrified is a favorite word of mine.
Avoid litigation my arse.
Good Grief!!
Hankey's got my vote.
"What is wrong with these people?"
They are liberals chock full of hatred and misery.
"doing anything for political correctness purposes is really a religious statement, because political correctness is a religion."
Works for me!
Two years ago my niece was working in a little convenience store and wished some sow b7tch a "Merry Christmas". (That is December 25th, in case people have forgotten or surrendered) and was subjected to a hysterical abusive tirade.
It's the All About MEEE people exercising control and leaving little wet spots when they get attention.
OK, if they want to kill the Christmas Spirit, then let's begin acting like we would in any other season when they pull this crap.
The PTA Breakfast with Santa at my daughter's school is tomorrow. The only complaints we have heard has been from a couple of Girl Scout parents because it happens to fall on the same day most of the Girl Scout troops in this area will be participating in a Christmas Parade tomorrow night.
:-).
Write them a nice note, saying, "Thank you for your input." If she doesn't want to see Santa Claus, she can stay home.
I disapprove of public school fundraisers on principle, anyway. We're all already paying a FReepin' fortune for them!
Someone did...
True. If she demands there be other religions recognized, she should have the huevos to be filmed saying so.
with that attitude, i hope the fundraiser fails.
Hope you have fun! We have trouble with events being scheduled over one another, too - and we don't even have a school schedule to worry about. I haven't been able to go to a Weight Watchers meeting in the last six week, and it SHOWS :-(.
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