Suit claims student's right to faith

Boston Globe ^ | 7/30/2002 | Thanassis Cambanis

[Jim Noble]

To 7-year-old Laura M. Greska, it made perfect sense to bring a book about Jesus Christ to her second-grade holiday show-and-tell. But her teacher barred her from reading aloud from ''The First Christmas,'' saying its religious content made it inappropriate.

[Jim Noble]

Greska's parents complained to the principal, who told them students could ''share books about their Christmas traditions so long as those books were not religious,'' according to the suit.

And exactly what Christmas traditions are not religious?

What a genius!

[fone]

Just what does the teacher think CHRISTmas is anyway? Sheesh.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

The US Constitution firmly separates church and state and prohibits school officials from endorsing any particular religion

It does? Silly me. I thought it prohibited the government from establishing a religion. I guess I ought to reread it. If I read it over and over long enough, I'm sure I can get it to say what this article says it does.

[SkyRat]

Dont forget that "Christmas" already existed before Christianity. It used to be a pagan (sp?) ritual of the Celtics in europe. This can also be said for Easter and probably some other rituals/holidays. So, a book about Christmas doesnt imply a Christian book. Ok, so much for nitpicking. The teacher is still an idiot, IMHO

[fone]

You're almost correct. Yes there was the pagan winter solstice rituals, sometimes referred to as Saturnalia or Brumalia, many of these rituals have been adopted into our "Christmas" celebration.

I assure you there was no Christmas before Christ.

[fone]

Ah yes, and Easter is about a bunny delivering eggs and goodies!
Forget about that resurrection stuff. /sarcasm

[SkyRat]

I assure you there was no Christmas before Christ.

Of course, it wasn't called Christmas then. Maybe I wasn't clear.

On a sidenode, what do you think of Christians who refuse to celebrate Christmas because of its pagan orgin? While I searched for some text's about Christmas I found several Christian homepages which were against Christmas. Look here. Some guys have way too much time on their hands

[Fintan]

Undoubtedly these same school districts bend over backwards to heighten their students' awareness of Ramadan...

[AppyPappy]

If a book about Islam had been banned, the media would have labeled it a "hate crime".

[Fintan]

And exactly what Christmas traditions are not religious?

Yeah, apparently only us demented, right-wing whackos are the only ones who can see the glaring flaw in that ridiculous statement.

[aardvark1]

Interestingly, it was illegal in colonial Massechusettes to celebrate Christmas.

The US Constitution firmly separates church and state and prohibits school officials from endorsing any particular religion.

How long will we allow this lie to be repeated. Even Jefferson, who is credited with coining the phrase "wall of separation" attended church every Sunday in the Hall of Congress. He obviously had something different in mind than our modern atheistic judges.

[Mr. Bird]

Why is it that when religion pops up in a public school setting, common sense flies right out the window? This is a STUDENT relating a tale (with religious content and theme) to her fellow classmates. This is hardly an endorsement of Christianity by the school. If it were a gay student relating some sort of personal travail, it would be called "tolerance".

I don't think schools should lead children in prayer, but I think they should allow it. I don't think schools should teach Creationism, but they should acknowledge it as an alternative belief. I don't believe that stifling the student body's learning by shielding them from matters of faith is a good idea. But those matters should be dealt with on an historical, intellectual, or cultural level in the school setting, not on the faith itself.

[SkyRat]

Interestingly, it was illegal in colonial Massechusettes to celebrate Christmas.

Indeed. The history of our modern day Christmas is a strange one.

"With somewhat historical irony, it was the Hessian (German-speaking) soldiers, hired by the British to fight the colonists during the American Revolution, who crossed the Atlantic Ocean with their Xmas tree custom. Sick with nostalgia, and homesick beyond measure, the Hessians set up Xmas trees in their homes in their newly adopted America, just as they had done during the long cold month of December back home. Yet the colonies of Puritan persuasion did not celebrate Christmas as a holy day during the time of the Revolution. A Massachusetts law in 1659 disallowed anyone celebrating the festivity with steep fines and penalties...."

"Finally, by the end of the 19th Century, with the masses from Europe immigrating to the United States, the Xmas tree was brought along with them and, before too very long, one state after another made Christmas a legal holiday, bringing the Xmas tree into the home and by the hearth once and for all."

[Godel]

Dont forget that "Christmas" already existed before Christianity. It used to be a pagan (sp?) ritual of the Celtics in europe. This can also be said for Easter and probably some other rituals/holidays. So, a book about Christmas doesnt imply a Christian book. Ok, so much for nitpicking.

Wrong, Christmas did not exist before Christianity. Pagans often celebrates the winter soltice, and some people think Christmas was moved to that date as a result of converting pagans. But, to say Christmas existed before Christianity is just absurd.

[SkyRat]

Wrong, Christmas did not exist before Christianity. Pagans often celebrates the winter soltice, and some people think Christmas was moved to that date as a result of converting pagans. But, to say Christmas existed before Christianity is just absurd.

Todays Christmas is just pagan rituals with new names. If you think you changed the whole deal by calling Wotan now Santa Claus, so be it

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Bump

[LarryLied]

Christians who refuse to celebrate Christmas...

Some people want Christmas banned.

[Campion]

Actually, what they meant to say was:

The US Constitution firmly separates church and state and prohibits school officials from endorsing any particular variety of Christianity. Wicca, Hinduism, Islam, and other non-Christian religions can not only be endorsed, they can be a required part of the curriculum in the interest of "diversity".