Nativity play ‘banned in schools’

[CoughLaughFart]

A couple of my FB friends have recently shared a post about what a disgrace it is that the nativity play is now ‘banned in schools’ and that the tradition must be restored immediately as this is a CHRISTIAN country (it's always in caps). I have two problems with this:

1. A search for ‘nativity school banned’ brings up several results for stories about schools banning photography at nativity plays, plus a Guardian article about why there’s such a panic about nativity plays being banned in certain circles. There wasn’t one example of the nativity play actually being banned. I also don’t know any parents who have experienced this in real life.

2. As this is indeed a CHRISTIAN country on paper, it happens to have thousands of churches. Anyone desperate to see their child in the nativity play could easily get involved with their parish church so that their children can be part of that one. They could learn all they like about Christianity then, from the experts no less.

AIBU to think that this is a non-existent ‘scandal’ spread on social media by people too lazy to check the facts? And that, with church attendances standing at around 2% of the population, these people aren’t bothered enough about their children learning about Christianity to get up early on a Sunday, and really just want a picture of their child looking cute with a tea towel on their head?

Hardly blueskies Though the birth of Jesus Christ the son of you know GOD has a religious meaning.

Oh and as an aside I'm Christian (catholic now) born and raised in a Christian Orthodox country. We never ever did Nativity plays. We had other traditions and did a lot of carolling and church services and what not ,but no plays.
Nativities are a cultural tradition,not a religious one.

I didn't think the nativity story was part of Islam, albeit Jesus as a prophet is? Happy to stand corrected if that's wrong.

There's a difference between religion being taught about and religion being practised in schools. I'm keen on the former and happy to support a nativity play in that context. It only becomes practising religion if you say and this is the true story of Christmas let us pray at the end.

Depends whether you believe that Jesus was the son of God.

To most people it’s just a nice fairy tale. That shouldn’t take precedence over any other fairy tale.

But saying if you want to be in one then join your local church and you can be in one is also not true.

witchend, I thought that too! While I imagine it may happen in some churches, I've never come across one that did a nativity play at Christmas.

DD's small village primary does a play each year which usually has all the nativity characters (think Mary, Joseph, wise men, shepherds) but usually with a contemporary slant. Last year's was loosely based on Strictly and they have also had one with aliens and different countries celebrating Christmas.

DD has been a sheep and a shepherd several times!!

I think in Islam they just have a different nativity story (that possibly doesn't involve hordes of sheep and angels- so less suitable for a school nativity play)
I would LOVE to see what the 'PC gone mad" would make of a Muslim nativity play.

That shouldn’t take precedence over any other fairy tale.

But surely there's a case to be made that, even if you think it is a fairy tale, it should take precedence in the lead up to a festival which celebrates that specific 'fairy tale'!

Surely though, it’s a Christmas fairy tale that’s part of of our tradition at Christmas time? There are other lovely festivals such as Diwali, thanksgiving, eid, and my dc have been taught about all of these, I don’t understand why Christmas has to be nativity and carol free.

There are lots of Christmas themed things schools can do.

Now I do think that drama and music is hugely important but there are lots of other ways schools can incorporate this rather then a nativity.

Ramadan is hardly religion free and why would anyone ask for it to be? Christmas is not like new year is it.

Why do we celebrate Christmas mummy?
Shhhhhhh. I don't know. Don't ask. Well it was waaaaay back before jesus' time when the pagans....

When Dd was in infants the Year 1& 2 performed a pantomime themed show. That was fantastic and the kids got so much out of it.

The Muslim nativity story- with Mary at the centre.

Not really - we’ve had plays about the ice caps melting, how we are all unique and special trees and stuff about snowmen when we aren’t in the Midwest and it doesn’t snow at Christmas. Not at all festive.

Last year's play wasn't a nativity. It was about spoilt,selfish kids,Christmas being about gimme gimme gimme etc. Then they go back in time and experience some Christmases from the past..wartime, Victorian etc and ofc they come back and appreciate their family and the true meaning of Christmas . It was tacky and sentimental but there were very few dry eyes in the audience at the end and the kids (actors and watching) absolutely loved it.

Most schools do the nativity, even if you’re an atheist like me the nativity play is a part of UK Christmas tradition and culture and I’ve no issue with my child learning about it.
This is a non story which pops up every year repeated probably by the same people who instead you’re not allowed to say Merry Christmas anymore despite masses of evidence to the contrary.

It's a cultural tradition in Britain. It's only very tenuously linked to religion, and it's not a Christian tradition in a broad and universal sense.

Talking/ singing animals and mixed up timelines and tea towel headdresses aren't religious, they're cultural. Many countries with a higher percentage of practising christians have no school nativity play tradition.

Nothing wrong with cultural traditions and festivals, but most of how Christmas is celebrated is cultural not religious.

YANBU

My mum is one of those who just reposts that shit. She also believes everything the daily mail says. She completely lacks any critical thinking skills.

She gets totally up in arms about this stuff going on about the UK being a Christian country. Despite the fact she’s not been to church in over 25 years (except christenings, funerals and weddings). Oh and I don’t think she’s ever met a Muslim.

People posting this shit don’t even identify as Christian so

Immummynoiam. You said "Well...in fact we’ve had no nativity plays in Scotland - so it does seem to be tacitly banned because it would attract criticism to teachers."

Did you just mean at your own school? Because if you're talking on behalf of the whole country, you're wrong.

Fekko, now that you mention it, I went to school in Scotland and don't ever remember seeing or being in a nativity play. Mind you, I started primary school in 1978!

The 70s was an usual time in Scottish primary schools... I seem to remember a fair amount of 'right-on-ness' that even us wee kids sniggerwd at.

Religion isn't banned in schools. That's a ridiculous thing to say. The problem a lot of parents have is that there isn't an option to have Christianity taught in the same way as Islam and the other world religions. If you want your child to take part in any Christian teachings you have to accept them being told "We believe" instead of "some people believe".

Schools like DS's where the Head recognises that as the reason why so many people now withdraw their child have begun teaching Christianity in the exact same way. Some parents will complain at the "Christian's believe..." angle of the nativity, but it means all the children can take part as there is no indoctrination angle. (Some of the staff fully expect Ofsted to not be happy with it though)

I went to school in Scotland in the 80's and we had a nativity in both primary schools I went too.

They originate from the Middle Ages in a very simple form but performed in church. Then of course there were the Mystery Plays which incorporate the nativity.

Dds school has several young people who take part in a bi-annual Mystery Play.

All schools are supposed to have daily acts of collective worship of a wholly or mainly Christian character. A nativity play would be an entirely suitable act of collective worship of a Christian character for a primary school.