My column last week concerning cultural and religious
celebrations in public schools elicited some interesting
e-mail.
My column last week concerning cultural and religious celebrations in public schools elicited some interesting e-mail. A brief response is required. Ms. Laurie Christian is the choir director at Brownell, and she took offense at my column. I specifically did not mention her name last week, because after seeing the program I was under the impression that the choir students had put that presentation together.
I will go on record as being opposed to religious celebrations in public schools. I am certain that I am in the minority in this respect. I choose my battles carefully, and this is one I choose not to fight.
My children take choir in elementary school, and arrive home singing songs with a religious bent. I tell them that I don’t approve of the songs being taught in public school, no matter how beautifully they sing. I encourage them to sing at church. I attended the Gilroy High open house for incoming freshman, and heard a beautiful choir rendition of the gospel song “Oh My Jesus.”
These talented singers have millions of pieces of music to choose from, and this is what they sang. I guess there was a good reason for this choice, although I find it ironic that two of the women instrumental in putting this evening together are Jewish, and were unaware that “Oh My Jesus” would be part of the evening.
Unlike atheists who oppose the mere mention of religion, I am a religious person.
My opposition has everything to do with my Catholic upbringing. I object to the use of the sacred in secular settings. A few years ago, the Rucker Home and School Club asked me to be in charge of the Bunny Hop, a foot race for first through third graders. This was an annual race held just before the Easter break. Prizes would be little Easter baskets filled with goodies, and all participants received a small chocolate egg.
When I signed on to this job, I requested that we change the name to the “Bugs Bunny Hop.” Prizes were given with the Looney Toons theme, and every participant received a pencil. I did this, not because I don’t celebrate Easter, but because I know that Easter is the most solemn Christian holiday. The “bunnification” of Easter is insulting to me as a Christian. Some students do not celebrate Easter, and all students need to feel welcome to participate at school sponsored events.
I am certain that Ms. Christian did not intend to offend anyone with the choir holiday presentation. To my mind, sandwiching the sacred, in this case the Menorah, between “Winter Wonderland” and “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” is a mistake. I take her at her word that she respects the dignity of all her students, I simply question the need to include the sacred in what could have been an equally terrific winter holiday event. I am not choir director at Brownell however, so I will trust Ms. Christian to use her own judgment as her guide.
As to cultural celebrations, I know that “green eggs and ham” were served at some elementary campuses in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Again, I have no problem with this from a breakfast standpoint, only from the standpoint that it has nothing to do with Irish culture. If individual teachers choose to teach a little bit of Irish history and culture, that is a good thing. They should avoid teaching about Saint Patrick however, because many teachers do not revere him as a saint. Also, the story about St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland is a fable. This is merely a metaphor about how Christianity (in the person of St. Patrick) drove the Serpent (snakes equal heathens) out of Ireland.
I do not want any teacher in GUSD teaching my children about saints. Scholars of the saints are very few in number, and I doubt that many math teachers are qualified to teach factual information about the saints.
St. Patrick’s Day is a minor holiday in Ireland. They have taken their cue from America, and in recent years, the holiday has grown more important. In America, St. Patrick’s Day has become an Irish cultural celebration. If we truly want to learn about Irish culture, we need to focus on the history, language and writing that make Ireland unique.
Here in Gilroy, we are blessed with many people of Mexican ancestry. The culture is to be celebrated and studied, and according to GUSD policy, treasured. I am all for this! As an Irish-American, this “green eggs and leprechaun” nonsense is offensive. Better to do nothing than to insult a culture. I have a feeling that somewhere in America, a similar fate awaits Mexican Americans, when Cinco de Mayo or a celebration of Cesar Chavez is reduced to “build your own taco” day.
Finally, I had two e-mails which I would like to share with you. One was from a Muslim parent who agreed with me, and said he felt his child was always an outsider at these holiday functions. I also had a student at Brownell write to me and suggest that I home school my children if I didn’t like what was going on in the public schools.
After careful consideration, I have decided against her advice. My children get their religion lessons at home and at St. Mary’s. For most families in Gilroy, those bases are covered. I believe the public schools need to serve and honor all their students. Showing respect for the various religions and cultures will only make our public schools better.
