I'm gonna regret this

[Bart Adkins]

Don't be too hard on me...I hope I don't loose any friends on this one...here goes.

My 12 year old is in the choir at his public school. He came home and was upset with the fact that they are singing religious songs for their holiday concert (Silent Night and Away in a Manger). Now, I don't take offense to these songs, and I'm not trying to poke a hornet nest...but a public school isn't supposed to do this are they? My son doesn't want to sing them but fears a failing grade and reprisals from his classmates. Shouldn't a public school stick to "jingle bells" and "walking in a winter wonderland" just to err on the side of caution? This is after all a winter concert and there are Jewish families in our community (but not many)

I don't want to tell my son he has to sing them. He has the right to choose his own faith, or none at all. I don't want to force a religion on him like my dad did to me. I just don't know what to do, or what I should say to my son.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

I suspect something else is going on with your son. My daughter was in Jr High choir for two years and they sang religious songs from the beginning of the year. Choirs begin practicing for the "Winter" concert months before it occurs, and if the song selections were a problem for him, he should have spoke up then. The choir doesn't have time to change the program now, and if someone were to legally challenge their selection of songs, they would simply be forced to cancel the program.



Since choir is an elective in most school systems, your son may need to consider switching to a different class after Christmas break. In the meantime, I'd discuss the issue with the school counselor. Your son may be allowed to complete the course without singing any more "Christian music" by writing a paper or doing some other music-related assignment.

 

[Bill Cooksley]

Tell him that you will back him 100% on what ever he wants to do. If he dosnt want to do it he shouldnt good luck you cant win on this. Bill

 

[kil roy]

well my opinion is



before all this politicaly correct BS that has them now being called holiday concerts they were called "Christmas Concerts" or "Christmas shows" and i was in many including my 4th grades

production of "how the grinch stole christmas" you should have seen me in red tights.

we sang all kinds of songs and it never injured us one bit.



Christmas as far as i know has to do with Christ's birth so a lot of "Holiday songs" are in fact

religious songs so to speak and are sung this time of year and personally i think if your son "TRULY" feels that strong about not singing them then you should keep him home

and explain it to his music teacher so he wont get the bad grade also it might be best because if he really doesnt want to sing them he may unknowingly ruin those songs for the others that are happy to participate



by the way are they also singing chanukah and kwanza songs? if so how does he feel about singing them?

reason i ask is my 3rd grade daughters concert last year they sang all kinds of songs so as not to snub anyones beliefs.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

I agree you do have a dilema. I hadn't thought of Silent Night being a religious song, but I can see where Away In The Manger definately is. Technicaly your both correct, I mean you and the school. By that I mean that the Bible is based on Jewish teachings, and you could sit your son down and show him the similarities. The fact is Jesus was a Jew. Also, talk to the school to see if they are simpathetic to your dilema. Hope that helps.

 

[Matthew Pickwell]

Look at it this way. What if every kid was able to bail out on what makes them uncomfortable or offends. No more Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, Othelo, certain Biology lessons, etc. I feel that with all of this political correctness, people are getting very sensitive. Every body is offended or made uncomfortable all the time; it is part of being an adult.

 

[Gavin Allan]

I don't know what the right answer is in this case. I, too, am offended by all the political correctness BS and all the sensitivity. However, I also see the point here, and I am very offended when government "sponsors" or hinders religion.



I saw an article the other day where a town banned all the religious symbols at a German Christmas festival. What the Fu*&? It is a Christmas festival and the word "Christ" is in Christmas. Jews, Muslims, Buddists should know to stay home.

 

[Jeffrey Travis]

Does he get in trouble with you if he sings jingle bells, BATMAN smells, Robin laid an egg?



Figured a little levity to a religious conversation always helps!

 

[Larry Gamble]

Tell him to quit complaining and sing; life isn't fair and just a song. Get over it and welcome to the real world.

 

[A K]

Singing those songs builds character.

 

[Ron N]

I was gonna step out of this one,but naw.I was in choir from grade school thru high school. The choir I was in was rated number one in the state of Texas in 1978. If he enjoys singing then he should do it.You don't have to believe in the words that you sing or the message that it may or may not give. You should enjoy the sound of the music. I would only go to the school if they were singing gang songs or rap music that relates to hate crime._Ron

 

[Matthew Edwards]

Hey I'm upset that I have to get up and go to work in the morning. Where's the complaint dept. for that.

 

[CountyMounty]

I took "chorus" (aka choir) in high school for two reasons 1) the girl to guy ratio of about 10 to 1, and 2) because I really didn't want to take art or creative writing, those were my three elective class options. I dreaded standing up on the stage and singing in front of a crowd and tried to fake illness to get out of one concert but my parents told me I had to go as I now believed they should have. I am just throwing this out there because I was wondering if maybe your son does not like to sing and or is nervous about sinning in front of a crowd or maybe is being teased by others about having to sing. If that is certainly not the problem then I also am curious if the issue is that he personally does not want to sing a religious song because he does not believe in that religion or is it that he does not believe that the school should be allowed to have them sing it. I was thinking that maybe at 12yo he has caught some of the media hype on these type of incidents and is just wanting to challenge the system.



This is a problem indeed and I wish you luck. I know if my son has that type of issue at 12yo I will tell him as others have suggested, which is that life is not fair and sometimes you have to do things that you may not like. I do not intend to push religion upon him but I do however intent to push morals, ethics etc. Unfortunately by the time he is 12 if things continue the way they are you will not even be able to say the word Christmas in public without fear of offending someone and being sued. I am not what you would call an overly religious person but it really bothers me that in this country that is supposed to be for freedom of religion the majority now seem to be losing some of that freedom.



Only you can make the decison for your child based on your own beliefs. I am certain that the school will not make your child sing those songs if the issue is one of religion. The simple solution I see is for him to either sit out the songs that he does not want to sing or as suggested above that he do something else to pass the class like write a paper about music or maybe sing a short solo of a song he does like. Yeah that sounds good suggest that he sing his own solo instead and I'm sure he will change his mind.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

We have just the opposite in our public school system. Their "holiday" musical is filled with Kwanza, Hanukkah, and secular Christmas music like "Jingle Bell Rock"; everything BUT Christmas music with any reference to Christ...I find it offensive in that there seems to be a deliberate, politically correct movement to cater to everything EXCEPT the more traditional Christmas music like the titles you mentioned. I find that offensive, hypocritical and wrong...but my child sings in the choir, I go, I applaud, I have a good time, and keep it all inside...it's called tolerance.



TJR

 

[Dallas Starr]

I agree with Larry. He wont always get what he wants, he starts pulling this stuff now I can only imagine whats to come

 

[Tom Schindler]

Bart,



You son can choose what he wants to sing and what he doesn't want to sing. Freedom of religion protects us from that harassment.





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Rodger said:

I agree you do have a dilema. I hadn't thought of Silent Night being a religious song

Here is a little reminder in the form of the lyrics:

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace



Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ, the Saviour is born

Christ, the Saviour is born



Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Roger's poor memory (sorry to pick on your Roger) shows just how unoffensive and common these songs have become, IMHO.

 

[CountyMounty]

For once I agree with TJR completely

Those songs are to Christmas what a Turkey is to Thanksgiving. Next thing you know PETA will have it so that stores cant use turkeys in any adverstisement. What about Santa Claus what if I dont want my child to believe in him those dang stores better stop having him there so I will be free to go there anytime I want and not be afraid that my children will see him.

 

[Tom Schindler]

What about Santa Claus what if I don't want my child to believe in him those dang stores better stop having him there so I will be free to go there anytime I want and not be afraid that my children will see him.

It is nowhere the same thing. If you don't want your child to believe in Santa Claus your child should not be required in school to sit on his lap. You wouldn't want your kid being required to do sit on Santa's lap when that has nothing to do with an education.



Back in school, there was never a class offered called celebrating holidays.





Tom

 

[CountyMounty]

Tom maybe that was not the best example to use but I do not think it is totally different. I agree a child should not be required to sit on Santa's lap. I am sure the school would not "require" that he sing the songs if there is an issue made of it, but I think the issue should be handled on an individual basis not the group as a whole. One might argue that maybe they shouldn't sing at all because what is the educational value of singing Jingle Bell Rock, maybe they should have a Holiday (not Christmas) Spelling Bee instead of a concert.



There is a similiar issue with Sex Ed, if you do not want your child to be in Sex Ed then you simple tell the school that and they will be excused.



If Bart decides that he does not want his son to sing those songs and he addresses that with the school and they say he has to or else he will fail the class or be disciplined then I certainly would have a problem with this and would be the first to join the Bat team defense but if they say that is fine your child does not have to sing those songs and offer alternatives then that is fine.



There was no class offered on celebrating Holidays "back in school" but there sure were plenty of "Christmas" concerts and "Christmas" parties and "Christmas" cookies and a "Christmas" tree. I have absolutely no problem with people with different views, if you dont want to celebrate Christmas that is fine but do not make it so that those of us who do lose some of that freedom. (I am not suggesting that you or anyone in particular are making it this way)