Our school has banned the word Christmas?

[Fayethefair]

I’ve heard from a friend on my DD’s school’s ptfa that our Cambridgeshire school has banned the word Christmas to make the school events feel more inclusive. So now it’s Festive Party, Festive Fayre etc. I’m happy to let mumsnet know the name of the school if they don’t feel this post is genuine so they can check this themselves but I won’t put names on here as this is my child’s school, I just don’t think this right and want to see what others think.

My daughter attended a Diwali lunch put on by the school recently and I genuinely thought this was lovely. I feel everything should be represented equally, I don’t understand or agree that the head should be picking and choosing what’s allowed and what isn’t. Surely this isn’t right?

The head hasn’t sent out a letter regarding this change and I doubt she will as she knows it will cause her even bigger problems

Yes that's obviously why she's not sending out a letter...

Look you obviously don't think you're unreasonable to form an opinion and start a thread you know will encourage people to froth all on the base of a supposed conversation so just own the fact you started the thread for that purpose.

Don't be silly. If there is an official policy there'll be an official letter.

The head should be sacked

Christianity or Christians ? There is a difference

My husband’s work really HAS changed the Christmas party name this year to End of year Party. No frothing here though. He just commented on it to me (and others at work did to each other) that they noticed it was changed and everyone moved on with life. So I don’t think it’s all made up. Some places do change things. And we have no idea of the reasons behind it. Some people will get angry with the change. Others won’t. But it definitely isn’t a “fake news story” at my husbands job.

🙄

How is the head going to enforce the ‘ban on the word Christmas’ without officially telling anyone it’s banned?

Because it's the festival of light. If you can't decide why 2 months of build up to wintergeddon vs a few days devoted to Diwali might be different then you need to apply to OP's PTA.

On what basis?

Our lefty Starmarian local council has banned medium walks now also. Only short walks to the shops or long walls > 2 hrs allowed. There's jobsworth inspectors patrolling the local ASDA.

Is the school having no Christmas lunch, not doing Christmas cards, no Christmas play or nativity, no Christmas jumper day or Christmas parties?

Or is it just that the PTA are holding a Festive Fair?

If all should be celebrated equally, then surely you only want a Christmas lunch like there was a Diwali lunch?
Unless there was a Diwali fair too?

I actually think that is terrible. We don't change the name of other faiths festivals, so why ours?! It's disrespectful to those who believe in Christ.

I think some posters might have missed that this is a secondary school. So vanishingly unlikely to be concerning itself over Nativity.

You lost me at "I heard from a friend" 🙄😁
Sounds legit
Not

They've been doing that in my very corporate, middle class London workplace. It's not just to be 'inclusive', that's clear. It's to purposefully erase Christianity as part of their efforts to apologise in some way for colonialism. I say that as some who's an atheist.

We're allowed to wish people Ramadan or Diwali, but I can't remember anyone from our senior team or HR wishing people a Happy Christmas or Easter in the last few years on our Teams channels.

This year we were 'invited' to fast for Ramadan, to show some kind of support for our Muslim colleagues. That really shocked me. I should not have to partake in a religious practice for ANYONE. We have never been 'invited' to fast for Lent before to support our Christian colleagues, so why the fuck are we being asked to do it for Ramadan???

Posters not reading the OP ?
On MN ?
Surely not.

Photos or it didn't happen.

(😀)

They probably haven't banned it outright, but like my workplace, they have discontinued using the word in every situation possible, with the hope that employees will follow it without having to actually spell it out to them.

Christians literally renamed the existing pagan festival...

Our secondary school never did a Christmas fair, just optional lunch and jumper day.

Of course, I'm referring to the school's decision for its own purposes, not the whole of the UK!

Things that didnt happen

But a school event that involves reindeer-themed crafts, garland making, mince pies, etc, has very little religious significance. Most families who celebrate Christmas by partaking in the Santa tradition are not Christian.

If the Fayre is going to be more of a generic winter/magical/Santa theme, I can understand why they would give it a more inclusive name - because it's not a very Christian event anyway. It's not like the school is hosting a Christingle and renaming it.

Perhaps the OP could join the PTA instead of relying on gossip.

But the school isn't stopping anyone using the word either or banning Christmas in any way.