Dcs school aren't allowing them to celebrate Christmas in anyway

[Keremy]

I suspect I am BU but over to you.

Dcs school is multi faith sensitive and we love that. Both dc have a huge amount of friends of all religions and backgrounds which I think is fantastic.

Last year the school celebrated Christmas in an acknowledgement of the event like you would in RE, not in all lessons but on the last week before Christmas they made Christmas wreaths and ginger bread houses and such because they are in until the day before Christmas Eve so miss a lot of the build up other kids who aren't in school have. They also have time off for Eid and celebrate Eid and I would add I have NO issue with this at all.

However this year the head has put a stop on anything Christmas. The staff have been trying to do Christmas things with them and the head has flat out refused to allow them to do anything and in fact stepped in to stop it if a teacher has.

Last year they had a huge festive dinner where the whole school sat down together but that has been stopped too.

I am really quite cross with this, I am not super religious but I think given they are in a multi faith school they are wrong to completely write it out unless they do away with acknowledgement of any religious celebration.

The kids have been told that every day is a work day and they wouldn't be allowed to celebrate Christmas in the work place so they should get on with it but a) many work places have Christmas parties or events and finish early and b) they are kids and have plenty of time in the work place to come.

Would it bother you?

Just to add this is in no way a 'people of other religions want to ban Christmas' thread. I have plenty of friends who are other religions and know that this is bollocks.

[AllPowerfulLizardPerson]

Infants, primary, junior, middle or secondary school?

[Sirzy]

What have they done this academic year for other religious holidays? If the same blanket nothing approach is done then as sad as it is I can understand it. If Christmas is the only one being left out then I wouldn't be happy with that.

Ds school isn't particularly multi-cultural but always try to do something for all the big religious holidays - including Christmas - which personally I think is the best way to make sure children grow up to understand and respect them.

[glueandstick]

It's fine as long as it is applied to absolutely everything.

[Backingvocals]

God that sounds miserable. Not Christian here but think Christmas is central to the prevailing culture in this country. Bloody weird not to get involved at all.

[Footinmouthasusual]

Have you asked the head teacher? Has there been any parent communication and are all religious celebrations banned? More info needed really.

[glueandstick]

Does sound bloody miserable though. Especially as Christmas is not at all religious now.

There's a whoolllllle debate there about the origins of Christmas. But I'm not stupid enough to open that can of juicy (secular) worms.

[00100001]

As long as they paid no attention to divali, Ramadan, Chinese new year, Hanukkah etc etc then there's no problem

[BarbarianMum]

[Gatehouse77]

It would piss me off if it wasn't equal among all religious celebrations. Massively. We are an atheist family but we live in a Christian country and, as such, expect them to be taught about Christian festivals and values.

Personally, I think all the main religions and their festivals should be taught. And I really wish they start with where they all overlap and then go on to explore the differences. I have come across so many people who don't realise that Christianity, Judaism and Islam all have the same G-d! Perhaps there would be more tolerance if there was more understanding.

[AmberEars]

If they celebrate Eid but not Christmas in school then that would really annoy me.

[lovelearning]

the head has put a stop on anything Christmas

[EdithWeston]

What age are the DC?

I've found that the older the pupils, the less celebrations of anything

[BertrandRussell]

What did the Head say when you asked him about it?

[Bananabread123]

Especially as Christmas is not at all religious now.

Maybe not for you or for many people, but to many it is.... not just committed Christians but also those with many more who have a tentative relationship with the faith, and also agnostics and atheists who may not believe but nonetheless enjoy the atmosphere of a midnight mass or carol service.

[Keremy]

It is a through school so Primary and Secondary. I have one in each. Well last year they certainly had events on Chinese new year and activities around Divali and they had a week off school at Eid in the Summer and twi days off for the Eid in September but they also acknowledged Christmas so I cannot really judge what will happen until the new year really with the others.

Like I said I am not super religious but as someone said above Christmas is a massive thing in the UK and it all seems a bit miserable.

I haven't spoken to the head because I wasn't sure if I was BU or not.

[EnormousTiger]

I think that's a shame. In the Christmas concert (carol service) at my children's school recently we had obviously because of where I live minority Christians, atheists and a muslim parent with her head covered etc in the Christian church whose son has a lovely voice and was doing a solo. It has certainly been the case that the more orthodox jews have always asked for a pass to skip school carol services but most religions are quite accepting of each other. It is not as if anyone is being forced to believe something.

One of the nice things about the carol service was seeing all the hindu and muslim parents who had been to school in the UK themselves so knew the carols joining in. No one is asking them to profess eternal faith in the Church of England. It's just a few carols attended by many English atheists too.

[BertrandRussell]

Are you basing this on second hand reports?

[ZoeZombie]

My secondary was like this. It was not a diverse school at all but the Head was a devout Christian who thought that the pupils were all heathens and not worthy of celebrating Christmas so we weren't allowed anything to do with it. Miserable git!

[Backingvocals]

I've never heard of a week off for Eid but nothing done to celebrate Christmas

Is it a faith school or a free school or something?

[PurpleDaisies]

I thought this was one of those urban myth things. Have there been any concerts or similar badged as "winter songs" or that sort of thing?

[BertrandRussell]

Wouldn't have thought the LEA was very happy about the week off for Eid.

All a bit odd.

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

It seems exceptionally odd for a school in this country to celebrate other religious festivals but not Christmas.

Particularly given the ubiquity of Christmas and the fact it is quite easy (frankly the norm for most people these days) to mark the occasion with no overt reference to anything faith-based at all.

[missyB1]

Is it a private school? I just wondered with you saying it was an all through school. Although saying that my ds school is private and they definitely celebrate Christmas.

[Sirzy]

Is it a private school? It was divali a few months back did they do anything for that? (Ie this academic year)

[littleducks]

Sounds odd.

Diwali and Eid have already fallen this academic year...was nothing done then?
That sounds fair/equal.....if not a bit well miserable.

Was there silly behaviour or something previously? Sounds like a really dramatic change of approach.