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Beating My Head Against a Wall; Or, Whatever Happened to the Separation of Church and State? |
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| December 20, 2007
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What has gotten me into this mood? Can’t you guess? Yes, Christmas. Hey, I like pretty Christmas lights as much as the next person. I own every Christmas carol Frank Sinatra ever sang. I have a stack of presents that’s way too big in the corner of my office and next month I’ll have the credit card bill to prove it. I happen to adore Heat Miser and Cold Miser and make a point of watching their antics several times in December. And in case you’re still questioning my Christmas credentials, my jeans are just as tight as yours from eating Christmas cookies and walking department store aisles in lieu of trips to the gym. I wasn’t raised a religious person, but my family bought in lock, stock, and barrel to the commercial bonanza called Christmas. And that’s fine by me. But I happen to believe that Christmas has no place in public schools. I mean, come on, what does the obligatory one annual Hanukkah handout (usually three days after Hanukkah ends), one Ramadan handout every other year (if we’re lucky) and the occasional mention of Kwanzaa (all good white liberals know what that is) teach our children when they are awash in a sea of Christmas trees and jolly old elves? I wasn’t prepared for how thoroughly Christianity permeates the public schools when four weeks after becoming a mother I was taking my daughter to her first day of kindergarten. Come December 1st, it turned out, the teacher -- Mrs. Henry -- plunked the kids in front of Christmas specials every day after lunch. I had already made a fuss after an unannounced visit in which I personally witnessed these children watching the bite-the-bad-guys-in-the-crotch scene in 101 Dalmatians. Seriously. Mrs. Henry did not understand how I could object to Frosty and Rudolph however. “But they were taped from the ABC family channel!” she assured me. Was I speaking some other language? The notice for the school’s “winter” party added insult to injury. The theme? Reindeer day. At an appointment with the principal I politely explained that a Christmas party was inappropriate in public school. “But it’s not a Christmas party!” she assured me. “It’s a reindeer party!” Right. And Rudolph was making a special guest appearance. News travels fast in a tiny public school, especially news of the parent who makes waves. Mrs. Henry pulled me aside the very next morning. “Would you like to come share your Hanukkah traditions with the class?” she asked me earnestly. It was my first contact with the elementary school teacher’s answer to everything -- guilting working parents into taking a personal day to come and “share.” But she had met her match. “I’m not Jewish.” What? You could see the wheels turning in her head. What was I making a big stink about if I wasn’t Jewish? “Even though my family celebrates Christmas, I think the children should be learning about traditions from many religions and areas of the world, without a stress being put on Christian ones,” I explained. And I have to give credit where credit is due. The kids did get one math worksheet with a Hanukkah theme. I found it balled up at the bottom of Saadia’s backpack during Easter -- oh, I mean spring -- break. That one torn, balled-up addition quiz was the only impact I had on that school. Christmas specials continued. And by all the glowing accounts and celebratory photo spreads in the school yearbook, reindeer day was a smashing success. I shook the dust of that school off my shoes without any regrets when we moved 50 miles to the north to make a new home with Claudia. Except to my surprise it turns out that it wasn’t just that school. Despite the fact that we now live in an extremely progressive community with people of all nationalities and religions, Christmas still permeates everything. My good friend Louise works in my daughter’s school. I’m grateful that she also happens to be a) a big fan of my daughter; b) a lesbian; c) Jewish; and d) the go-to person when my daughter’s current teacher is in over her head. Not necessarily in that order. After the third notice to get in the permission slip so Saadia could take part in a mentoring program the teacher had set up with her church’s youth group -- because how could I object? -- I knew I had to take a stand. Louise called me to tell me what happened when her teacher got my note: “No, Saadia cannot take part in the mentoring program. I am uncomfortable with Saadia being mentored by any Christian group, as my partner is Jewish and I am agnostic.” Hey, could I be more polite? Apparently Saadia’s teacher had no idea what agnostic meant and was picturing something akin to devil-worship as she ran breathlessly to Louise’s classroom down the hall, distastefully holding that note at arm’s length. Louise reassured her. We had a good laugh on the phone and I thought that would be the end of all this nonsense. Imagine my surprise when later that night I opened Saadia’s notebook to find this note: “Are there any agnostic winter rituals or traditions you would like to share with the class?” You have to be multicultural in December or you can’t decorate the |
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1. Nicole
Dec 20, 2007 13:25
That was great, thank you. I just found the Hanukkah amd Kwanzaa worksheets in the vacation worksheets. I loved how she assumed you were jewish or why would you care. I'm Jewish although my husband is not so we do both now, and I get a little wierded out about Christmas stuff. I've sent my kids to schools with such a predominance of hispanic kids so as the token Jew I just bring in Hanukkah stuff. I also think I'm making up for lost time in my childhood when I was the odd one out so revel in the Christmas stuff. I can't even remember what I did as a kid, but we were in California and noone ever talks about their religion in school. Pass along those agnostic traditions - we're having an athiest theme :)2. Mary Sokolowski
Dec 20, 2007 15:51
Oy. Imagine being a Buddhist. Holy mother of God!Keep the faith(s) and may peace be upon you and yours this, er, winter season?
3. judy barringer
Dec 24, 2007 18:47
Congratulations! And many kudos to Melissa for putting, in clear, articulate and responsible language, a rant, I dare say, more folks than this reader has stewing and growling in some recess somewhere. Some how, our Culture of Materialism has to be brought under control. Articles such as this are a start to the dampening of the blaze. But my question is, how do we get the message beyond those of us who are pushed to the sidelines by the continual bombardment of Xmas carols and already have the rant billowing in our brains? Maybe, if we all stopped caving to the norm...ohwell, nevermind. It was just a dream some of us had....4. Paula Richardson
Mar 06, 2008 21:19
Separation of Church and State comesfrom a letter that Thomas Jefferson
wrote to a Baptist congregation in
Danbury, Connecticut, because of their
concern about one Protestant denomina-
tion being favored over another. The
phrase appears nowhere in the United
States Constitution. What DOES appear
in the Constitution is the affirmation
that it was completed on the "17th
day of September in THE YEAR OF OUR
LORD one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-seven." Now, just which "Lord"
do you think was being referred to in
this expression? Buddha? Krishna?
Some generic "deity"? Come on, you
know very well that this was a reference
to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is King
of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This country was founded originally
as a Christian nation. Don't think
you can distort the truth and not come
under the judgment of Almighty God!
The Mayflower Compact of 1620 spoke
of the propagation of the Christian
faith as the primary aim of the set-
tlers. No amount of trickery can
possibly change this fact.
"Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled
in Heaven." --Psalm 119:89
You know the truth in your heart.
Isn't it time you acknowledged it? God
will not be patient with you much
longer. And then it will forever be
too late. Stop suppressing what you
KNOW to be the truth. Feel the guilt
that the Holy Spirit is trying to
impress upon your heart, and cry out to
Jesus for mercy. You may rationalize
all you like--still, when all is said
and done, you remain uneasy and unsure
of yourself.
Prepare to meet thy God!
5. Ruth Edwards
Mar 13, 2008 19:38
I heartily echo Paula Richardson'scomments. It is hard to believe that
Ms. Doak is serious. At a time when
Christianity is on the verge of being
banned from all public expression, she
complains that it is too "dominant" in
American culture?!?! Give us a break!
The Lord of Lord and King of Kings
shall empower His people to take TRUE
dominion over America, and over the
whole earth. (See Psalm 110:1-3,
especially verse 3: "Thy people shall
be willing in the day of Thy power.")
The rule of Jesus Christ over all
persons and institutions is 100%
inevitable. You are solemnly advised
to turn to Him in faith and humble
repentance, and He will forgive all your
sins. Just cry out to Him. You must
be hurting so very, very badly to write
the things you write. And no wonder--
the Word of God clearly states that it
will "not go well" for those who dis-
honor their parents, as you did in re-
gard to your mother in another article. Your searing inner pain
is God's way of calling you to Him.
Do not ignore Him, or harden your
heart.
Even one minute after you read this, it may be forever too late.
Get down on your knees and cry out
NOW! May God show you mercy!
Ruth Edwards