For those who like to wail about the war on Christmas, here’s something else to get you hoppin’.
An Ottawa area school, Cambridge P.S. in Embrun, has pulled the plug on its’ annual Christmas concert. Replacing the annual, festive event, will be a “holiday-themed craft night” and a “nondenominational concert”, sometime in February.
The reason’s a familiar one. A small number of the students aren’t of the faith, so when the other kids are rehearsing for the concert, they’re forced to sit out, occasionally biding their time in the principal’s office.
While exposing kids of other faiths to Christianity may be risky, (it can spread faster than an air-born contagion) can’t we lessen the threat of contamination and avoid their exclusion?
Could the little non-believers just warble secular numbers, like Frosty the Snowman or Jingle Bells … from across the stage… not getting too close to the Christian kiddies and their Joy to the World? Maybe earplugs and blindfolds for the overly cautious? Would uptight parents and politically correct educators be willing to chance it!?
Obviously (there’s always those who don’t get it) I’m being facetious. And obviously, like many of you, I’ve had it up to here (hand at neck) with this nonsense!
A number of years back, at our kids’ school in Oakville, ALL took part in the Christmas concert, INCLUDING those kids of other beliefs, who shared songs of their faith and culture. The children loved it, the parents loved it… it was not only fun, but educational! And ain’t that what school should be all about?
Now, for the odd bigoted, tolerance deficient parent, who might balk at this accommodation, here’s what YOU can do. Think PRIVATE school for your little darlin’.
To all, a Merry Christmas… or a very Happy, WHATEVER!
Listen to The Motts (Paul and Carol) weekdays… 11 til noon at…http://www.themotts.ca
