Operation Christmas Child - what information has your school given you?

[exexpat]

This is not an attempt to start another debate on the pros and cons of the Operation Christmas Child shoebox scheme - that has been done to death on MN before (see last year's two long threads here and here), and as we now know, Samaritan's Purse, who run the scheme, are trying to get threads deleted and threatening legal action against some Mumsnetters (see current thread here) so I don't want to encourage anyone to get into trouble.

However, in the course of last year's threads, when the head of PR of Samaritan's Purse popped up to engage with some of the criticism, he acknowledged that in the past the information SP had provided to schools had not made clear the evangelical aspects of Operation Christmas Child, which has always been my main objection to the scheme. He therefore wrote a new information leaflet for teachers and parents which went some way towards addressing those criticisms.

It was produced too late to reach many people last year (and was hidden away in an obscure corner of the OCC website, and you needed to register even to read it) but the plan was apparently to circulate it more widely this year. In a DM to me, Brian Bennett (the head of PR) promised: "Next year expect a major revamp and unparalleled transparency - you'll have nothing to talk about!"

The leaflet is indeed now available to download from the website without having to register - it is on this page of their website, entitled "OCC - Parent and Teacher Guide".

What I would really like to know is whether this 'unparalleled transparency' is actually happening in practice. So, my question is:

If your school is still participating in the Operation Christmas Child scheme this year, what information have they given to parents (and indeed teachers) to help them make an informed choice about whether to participate? Have you been given a copy of (or sent a link to) the explanatory leaflet?

Yes and since the addition of any information at all is a very new thing, it's no wonder people have just signed up to it, and still do because it is established now as the "thing to do".

Grrr.

Oh dear, Party - I can't imagine Muslim parents would be very happy if they discovered after sending in boxes that it's all about converting children to Christianity. Time for a word with the head and a clarification in the school newsletter?

My workplace supports OCC by allowing colleagues one working day off to volunteer to pack and check the shoeboxes (we can choose almost any charity although there are some exceptions due to conflict of interest so it surprised me that OCC was seen as suitable). I did try to raise my concerns but was ignored so I'm leaving them to it.

Thanks for expanding on the little information given in the leaflet. I'm not doing a shoebox for ds to take to school anyway. He hasn't asked to do one so I don't need to explain why yet.

Party I was wondering about teachers, and whether to put anything in the staff room about this but was too scared and hoped someone else would.

Do you think that would be a good idea or would it be better coming from a teacher?

I think the language SP use is unclear unless the reader is familiar with the language of proselytising and evangelism.

On face value, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ sounds bit benign, especially as it all happens in the run up to Christmas.

If their leaflets said, oh we use your shoeboxes to aim to convert non Christian children to Christianity and this is the lure we use so yes parents you're part-funding our programme, well would they be supported in large numbers? Probably not.

And somewhere on their website it says they may not use the boxes at Christmas time but distribute them throughout the year.

What I've written above, well thats all in my opinion. < channels The Good Wife>

In response to the OP we received the what to pack in your shoebox leaflet and a covering letter from the head asking bus to participate and no additional information . I have since found out that there was an assembly which the children of faiths that don't celebrate Christmas didn't attend.

I've just double checked on their website and we have not received (as parents) the parents and teachers guide.

I know the OP asked about information provision. We got the usual nonsense from two schools about how it was just a way go getting presents to deprived kids. We soon found out otherwise. Those parents who have not received any proper info might like to read the comments by Giles Fraser in the Guardian a while back. SP might be weaselling around on the nature of the way the evangelical information is attached, but the underlying message has not changed. See

www.theguardian.com/world/2003/nov/10/religion.society

We have refused to have anything to do with this programme. BTW, Giles Fraser is a leading religious commentator and famously resigned from his post at St Pauls over the management of the protests there recently.

We found the 'how to pack your shoebox' leaflet in dd's bookbag yesterday. It's the first year the school have given it out so I'm not sure if there's any new information in it. Dd said that a lady spoke to them in assembly and told them that Jesus was their greatest Christmas present (my response was to ask if she wanted Jesus or the dressing table she's asked for on Christmas morning ). I've explained to her why we won't be participating and emailed the school. There are children of different faiths in the class so I'm hoping for a sensible response, our head is usually very responsive to parental input

Well done, JadedAngel - I am glad they took your concerns seriously.

I have told DDs school that my kids won't be participating in this scheme. I've just had an email back from the local food bank who have said that in the weeks before Christmas they'd be very grateful to have some little treats such as novelty soaps, bubble bath, tooth brushes, crackers, sweets and chocolate coins to give to families who are struggling. We're going to take some stuff down there instead, and I'm going to ask some friends to contribute if they'd rather not be involved with OCC.

Thanks for this thread, exexpat! I just came looking for some links to send to the HT at DD's school. I spoke to her about it last year, after I found out about the organisation, and hoped that would be the end of it but...

No leaflets home yet but DD came home the other day asking me to google it and telling me that they'd watched a film about packing a shoe box. I'm hoping it was just a one-off from her teacher and sending an email to the HT will nip it in the bud.

I think most religions think they are right and if that is the case you want others to have what you have. It's not a particularly wicked aim and I write that as an atheist. Most muslims are happy to give and even to a Christian charity. The new leaflet is clear that they are spreading the word.

As much religion is bad for the planet we probably need some alternative boxes which set out why the children abroad are better off retaining their own culture

It's not so much spreading the word as suggesting that any other word is a lie and children see these things in black and white, without the grey area of uncertainty and discussion and compromise. These people give out wonderful gifts and them tell them that their gods are false or evil or that they don't love them. What do you think a seven yr old will think of that?

Can i link you to the religious but quite wonderful Trussell Trust xmas boxes instead?

www.trusselltrust.org/christmas-boxes

Had the leaflet. After I sent an email with links and everything.

Am very upset. Not cross, as I've always liked the HT up to now, but very upset that the school still think it's appropriate.

How annoying, MrsW. You may find that there is one member of staff whose pet project it is, and the head finds it difficult to cancel.

Was it the full leaflet with all the evangelical stuff in? If not, I think it would perhaps be worth emailing again to suggest that the full leaflet be distributed to parents so that they can make an informed decision.

Ah FlipFlop, your DD can have both!!

Lovely link from bettymoody too.

Haven't seen the brochure but our church has always supported OCC - did not know that it was operated in some schools as well. Faith schools supporting it, I can understand as there is an obvious link with the spiritual aims of the organisation. Interesting that Greengrow seems to 'get' how a non-faith setting could also conceivably support it...

It's all very well saying that it's understandable for faith schools to be involved but, when we have no choice but to send our children to faith schools and that includes children from other faiths, well, it's not really on, is it?

This organisation thinks that any other faith is just plain wrong. What message is that sending out in schools that support it?

exexpat, I didn't get a chance to see the leaflet. DD told me it was there but DP told her to throw it away coz he knew it was going to upset me!

My pastoral team (secondary) were talking about doing it. I was dead brave for me and voiced my concerns. I suggested that as we support foodbanks, there might be a local scheme linked to them, or try other alternatives. I got many "looks".

We were asked to participate by my DS's local community infant school and had no information about Samaritan's Purse at all. I only found out that it was a religious thing when I saw it mentioned on MN and then googled it. I will be emailing the school suggesting that they provide more information to parents.

I was horrified to find our usually very on-to-it Secondary school supports OCC every couple of years. It took me a while to find out if it was actually a SP collection as our weekly newsletter only asked that we ' put together a shoebox of small gifts for children who will not otherwise receive any presents at all; it’s fun, inexpensive and the whole process creates an amazing degree of happiness all round. '
I gather there were leaflets that named SP as the collection recipient but the inclusion of literature was down played.
I have bravely written to the Head who has been organising this for years.
No reply yet. Am scared!

I have got a reply saying the school has been reassured that
'Our contacts’ information also emphasises that no religious items of any kind, from any world faith, are allowed inside the boxes and that the Jesus booklets can only be given out separately and where appropriate (i.e. within a Christian community / orphanage / parish) and even then only with the explicit permission of the authorities (orphanage or school or hospital) or from the village elders: “Where appropriate, with each shoebox, our church partners (i.e. some of the volunteer groups in the local areas) may offer a little booklet of Bible stories .. This is a ‘no strings attached’ programme and participation is with the consent of their parent or guardian.” ?'

OCC seems to have changed its packing instructions this year and is insisting that the shoe boxes are given with no strings attached.

I certainly don't believe them but am not sure how you can prove otherwise!

I'd ask them if OCC has any evidence about what happens on the ground - do they have an independent audit? Can they list all the communities who will be targetted by OCC this year, and offer a breakdown of religious affiliation? If not, why not? If so, how many of the kids they are targetting are Muslim?

The big, obvious question is why a big organisation would be giving Christmas presents to Muslim children at all. Feeling sorry for poorer people that they don't have much at Christmas does not apply, clearly.