Brickbat: Jesus Christ

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In Omaha, Nebraska, Elkhorn Public Schools has placed Jennifer Sinclair, principal of Manchester Elementary School, on leave after she tried to ban Christmas decorations in an effort to be "inclusive and culturally sensitive." In a memo, Sinclair said general winter symbols, such as snowmen, were OK but Christmas trees, "Elf on a Shelf," red or green items, and candy canes were not. A district spokesman said Sinclair's memo does not reflect school policies.

Comments

[Eddy]

Here's the relevant excerpt from the district's religion policy:

"Religious Holidays

"1. Teachers may teach about religious holidays as part of an objective and secular educational program. Celebrating religious holidays in the form of religious worship or other similar practices is prohibited. The study of holidays should reflect the diverse heritage of the United States.

"2. Religious symbols, such as crosses, creches or menorahs may be used as teaching aids in the classroom provided that the symbols are displayed as an example of the cultural and/or religious heritage of the holiday and are temporary in nature. If put on a bulletin board, religious symbols may be viewed as promoting a certain religious perspective. (Christmas trees, Santa Claus and Easter eggs and bunnies are considered to be secular, seasonal symbols and may be displayed as teaching aids provided they do not disrupt the instructional program for students.)

"3. Music, art, literature and drama with religious themes may be included in teaching about holidays, provided that they are presented in a religiously neutral, prudent and objective manner and related to sound, secular educational goals."

[Eddy]

Oops, that's the link to the teacher's letter, here is the district policy:

https://bit.ly/2LgfZHw

[Eddy]

The principal categorically banned Christmas trees, and Christmas carols and music, whereas the district policy specifically allows these things in carefully-controlled conditions. The district policy isn't exactly holly and jolly, but it's less rigid than the principal's flat-out ban.

[Eddy]

The bureaucratically-sensible thing would have been to send out a copy of the district's holiday policy, with stern reminders to obey it, but without adding anything. Then if there's any complaints, let the school board take the heat.

[Radioactive]

I propose an across the board ban on all school committees, boards of education, PTAs, Teachers Unions and any other non-instructional asswipes....

[Mickey Rat]

Those that can, do.

Those that cannot do, teach.

Those that cannot teach, administrate.

[a ab abc abcd abcde abcdef ahf]

No, that second line is "Those that cannot, teach" because the delight is in the punny pause which confuses people.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

The PTA has disbanded!

[Quo Usque Tandem]

God created idiots, this was for practice, Then he created school boards.

Mark Twain

[Fist of Etiquette]

The lists said winter-themed symbols such as sledding, gingerbread people and snowmen were allowed.

Even the least devout atheist knows that anthropomorphizing precipitation and food is the height of blasphemy.

[Eddy]

I think you put the carrot in the wrong place.

[MatthewSlyfield]

And here I was expecting that link to go to an NSFW snowman cartoon.

[MatthewSlyfield]

Like this.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The religious symbolism referenced was likely popularized after forms of candy canes were already common holiday treats, the publication says.

Everyone knows candy canes were already popular treats way before Jesus's birth.

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

Things like this are what keeps Bill O'Reilly from sleeping at night. It's his reason for the season.

[Mickey Rat]

Way to read the room Principal Sinclair.

[Still Curmudgeoned (Nunya)]

I wonder what percentage of folks in Omaha were thinking, "We got too much darn Christmas stuff around here."

[AbbyNixon]

Christmas is all around but it as not around Principal Sinclair. I spend money to buy a research proposal on the history of religion in honor of Christmas, and someone can simply deny this event. Unfair...

[Jerryskids]

Damn, even the spambots spend more time reading the articles and making relevant comments than half the commentariat here. Props!

[Cynical Asshole]

Yeah, that was impressive. I didn't even realize it was a spambot at first, I thought it was a legit commenter riffing on the story Dr. Seuss style.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Just as banning Christmas decorations seems like overkill, was it necessary to suspend the principal? Can this school district do nothing in moderation?

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

The PTA meeting is priceless, these people were pissed and I can't believe she only got off with being placed on leave.

Omaha Residence Demand Punishment

[Longtobefree]

So you think this 'administrative leave' is the unpaid kind?
How can free vacation be considered punishment?
Day after Christmas, she gets a free pass.

[Eddy]

If this were a Hallmark Christmas special, the principal would admit she went too far, and they'd let her back and her first act would be to provide the school a Christmas tree.

[Eddy]

...while dressed as Santa.

[Jerryskids]

Christmas has become about as secular as Wodin's Day, Thor's Day and Freya's Day, but if you wanted to make it more inclusive just put up the display of traditional Christian holiday symbols next to the displays showing how Muslims and Jews and Buddhists and Athiests celebrate the birth of Christ that are up all year long. You're not being inclusive by excluding Christianity, you're being exclusive - which is why they call it excluding ya dumbass.

If you really want to teach the kids something about Christmas in a way that ties into their education, show them pictures of Santa's elves hard at work in Santa's workshop - the real one, the one in China with the suicide nets around it - and explain to them this is a place where the government runs your life and your society and your education. See if they're smart enough to draw a conclusion.

[Inigo Montoya]

I wonder what how the little delinquents who are usually on suspension reacted when the principal suddenly joined them on the naughty list. Did any one of them dare to offer her a swig from the bottle or a toke?

[SQRLSY One]

I was there, I was one of those little delinquents, even though I'm not quite as little as I'd like to be, lately. Let's get small!!! I was there for illegally blowing on a cheap plastic flute, if you must know.

I am proud to say that I ***WAS*** brave enough to offer a FREE blow on my "lung flute", to Jennifer Sinclair, principal of Manchester Elementary School, in hope of leading her astray!!!

It was wasted effort; she hauled off and whomped me good!

Now as part of my additional reparations to society, I must perform a pubic service to society... So here goes...

To find precise details on what NOT to do, to avoid the flute police, please see http://www.churchofsqrls.com/DONT_DO_THIS/ ? This has been a pubic service, courtesy of the Church of SQRLS!

[Rich]

Banning stuff in an effort to be inclusive. Sounds legit.

[Jimbo BTR]

Fighting discrimination by discriminating is what puts the tard in left-tard.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

Christmas, as has been celebrated at least through my lifetime, is mostly about consumerism [a religion unto itself]; there are of course Christian origins and aspects of the holiday [actually a minor one on the Church calendar, with Easter being the most important]. I would say the consumer / religious breakdown at this point is about 80/20; trying to exclude it in an effort to be "inclusive and culturally sensitive" is just an excuse to be an asshole.

[Rich]

excuse to be an asshole

Nice album name.

[CDRSchafer]

You've revealed the entire motive behind progressive politics.

[Longtobefree]

"The lists said winter-themed symbols such as sledding, gingerbread people and snowmen were allowed."

This should also be banned, as 'sledding', 'snowmen' are offensive to people in Florida and Arizona.
'Ginger'bread is offensive and derogatory to redheads.
SnowMEN is offensive to all other sexes / genders, both real and imagined.
Gingerbread is brown, therefore offensive to Asians, Africans, Caucasians.
Help me out here; I am struggling to find out why sledding is offensive. The best I can do is that it must, in some way, damage the environment.

[Cynical Asshole]

I am struggling to find out why sledding is offensive. The best I can do is that it must, in some way, damage the environment.

It's insensitive to skinny people who don't weigh enough to generate higher speeds?

[Longtobefree]

Good line of thought; also fat people who would break the sled.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

The headline as occasion to take the Lord's name in vain is an interesting touch.

[Cynical Asshole]

In a memo, Sinclair said general winter symbols, such as snowmen, were OK but Christmas trees, "Elf on a Shelf," red or green items, and candy canes were not.

What if instead of a Christmas Tree you said it was to celebrate the winter solstice or the festival of Saturnalia? Elves also have a long tradition outside of Christianity, red and green are just colors, and candy canes are just candy. There's nothing specifically "Christian" about any of these items.

Shit, most things that are commonly associated with Christmas are derived from various pagan traditions. It was a handy way of converting the "heathens." Something tells me this dipshit is just a historically illiterate idiot looking to get her control freak on.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

"...historically illiterate idiot looking to get her control freak on."

Damn well said ^

[I am the 0.000000013%]

How can you keep saying Christmas and not expect to be perceived as religious zealots. Please, comment police, change all instances of 'Christmas' above to the more correct ecksmas.

[MatthewSlyfield]

Xmas is just as religious as Christmas.

Contrary to what many think, Xmas originates from the Greek Orthodox Christian Church, not from attempts to secularize Christmas.

Christ in Greek starts with the Greek letter Chi, which looks like a Latin alphabet X.

[Dan S.]

Ecksmas? Really?

[I am the 0.000000013%]

🙂

[markm23]

'In a memo, Sinclair said general winter symbols, such as snowmen, were OK but Christmas trees, "Elf on a Shelf," red or green items, and candy canes were not.'

Fire her because it is unseemly for a school principal to be grossly ignorant. "Christmas" trees and red and green items came from Germanic pagan traditions rather than Christianity. "Elf on a shelf" is a commercial exploitation of a myth created in the 19th Century, which Saint Nicholas of Myra himself wouldn't recognize. Candy canes come the closest to having an actual relationship to Christian traditions, but they are another 19th Century innovation.

[Echospinner]

Just a small story.

I live in an HOA which I am planning to move from.

Anyway there is a "signs rule" which effectively bans those temporary political signs. Although they happen. The ones the landscapers, roofers, dog-invisible fence ones, and so on are OK.

So one family few doors down puts up a nice Christmas display just the usual pretty lights and stuff. Among the decorations was a sign about the same size as those landscaper things which said "Jesus is the reason for the season".

One of the busibodies who was on the HOA board sent out an angry email claiming they had violated the sign rule. A heated email discussion ensued.

My family and a few others are Jewish. The Jews were consulted. We were flabbergasted. WTF why is this a problem? It is at heart a Christian holiday. Why would Jesus being mentioned offend anyone?

For crying out loud.

From Charlie Brown Christmas:

Linus: "I can't memorize something like this so quickly! Why should I be put through such agony? Give me one good reason why I should memorize this."
Lucy: "I'll give you five good reasons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!"
Linus: "Those are good reasons. Christmas is not only getting too commercial, it's getting too dangerous"

Enjoy. Merry Christmas.

[Longtobefree]

It is cheaper to get elected to the HOA board, serve for two years and take over.
Then use Robert's rules to get rid of the assholeness entirely.
THEN move away.