Absolutely riDONKulous.

We live in a society FULL of religious overtones. Learn how to live with it and teach your child the same, otherwise he/she is screwed. And appreciate it for what it's worth, an important part of the history of our culture and country.

I celebrate Christmas, but I can see how a child who's family does not would feel a bit isolated when the only holiday performance at school is solely dedicated to Christmas. If I was a Jewish parent, this would be somewhat concerning to me. I wouldn't bring lawyers into the mix, but I guess that she felt it was the only way for the school to get a clue. When I was a kid, we studied a variety of holiday traditions, including Hanukkah, Christmas, etc. and we sang songs and did art projects that represented them all. The teachers did not delve deeply into the religious aspects of the holidays at the elementary school level; they more talked about some of the different fun traditions practiced.

It doesn't say it was the only song played, though. She just thinks Santa and Christmas should be banned, period. I assume she also believes Hanukkah should be banned. Although she doesn't sound like the brightest crayon in the box, so maybe she would be totally two-faced on what should and shouldn't be banned.

I understand the point of feeling excluded, but from all appearances, that's not what this specific story is about.

Actually, if you watch the whole clip, the mother asked the school to include a Hanukkah song. She did not say Christmas should be banned at all, according to the woman in the clip who interviewed her.

Ah, ok. I was reading a written article since I rarely watch clips on the laptop, they're too slow.

So then what's the point? Is the lilsugar recap the inaccurate one? Did she or did she not ask for Santa and Christmas to be banned?

...And now I can't find the article I was reading so I could post a link for back-up.

The details are not the issue for me. I personally feel that if a public school is going to put on a holiday pageant kind of thing, they should include Hanukkah songs. It shouldn't be a question. Perhaps this mother was trying to get back at the school, which I do NOT agree with, but I do understand her frustration.

I get that, I was commenting on the specific story, not the idea in general. Which is why I wanted details.

Alright. Sometimes I feel like some parents tend to throw a fit because they feel that "Santa", "Rudolph", and even things like a Christmas TREE are religious figures/symbols/what have you. In reality, all of those things were just made up to have something else to celebrate. Sorry, no one made up "Santa" to honor Jesus. If there were any Chanukkah songs or whatever, then I'm sure the school would sing them!

I was once in grammar school, and we did a holiday show, and we sang "Christmasy" songs. No Hanukkah songs really exist unless you make them up, or dig really, really deep to do it. No one got worried, because it's just a holiday, it's just a song. It's not meant to exclude anyone.

How is it inappropriate to sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? Is it really that offensive? So...we can't sing the pledge of allegiance because it said "God" (which I don't believe in, but I didn't throw a tantrum), no we can't say Christmas and Santa in school? Life is getting so ridiculous.

My children will grow up in such a messed up world.

Pretty sure I thought my dad was nuts, but he came to my holiday plays and didn't give a crap about what we sang. He's Jewish, too. (Yes, I come from that sorta family, mom is Catholic, dad is Jewish)

I'm Wiccan, and will be raising my son the same (who's due in two weeks). And I think she's absolutly bonkers. Why does she think that other religions not be opressed, and yet opress what she deems 'Christian'? For goodness' sake, Rudolph? That has to be one of the most secular songs ever. Maybe she should have cited where Santa appeared in the New Testament.

This is silly. This woman has it all turned around.

First off, Santa is, in his various incarnations, NOT CHRISTIAN.

He has nothing to do with Christianity. He was "brought into" it as an entity at some point in the 4th century, in the form of a St. Nicholas, but he didn't start there - at all.

In fact Puritans went so far in early America as to try to ban the "pagan/Catholic" holiday of Christmas.

If anything from what I read some Christians are actually not keen on all this "Santa-fication" because they see him as more of a commercial entity than a spiritual one, and takes away from the more holy/religious emphasis of the time as it relates to Jesus's birth, etc.

So - for the record..

The symbol of a generous traveller in a reindeer-powered sleigh, bearing gifts for children IS PRE-Christian, and I'd go so far as to say you can reach all the way back to pagan/shamanistic cultures to find his original form. Before Christmas, there was Yule, for instance. (Of course we know more than a few "Christian" symbols - bunny rabbits included - were borrowed from earlier holidays and festivals but we'll leave that aside for now.)

In Scandinavian folklore and culture, the winter festivals and figures reach back centuries before Christ, in various forms.

Short version: This woman has her objections backwards.

what does Santa have to do with religion?

side note: my grandma always signs her presents "From Santa" but one year my cousin got one signed "From Satan." lol

LOL @ Krae.

This story made me puke a little.

I feel sorry for our kids. We are ruining everything with pc crap.

There will never be a world where everyone can walk around all the time and not be offended by something. Whatever happened to just not getting offended? Realizing we don't all think alike? Ugh, living in a hut in the woods is looking better and better all the time.

I can see a parent being concerned if the children were reenacting Jesus in the manger but Santa? Huh? I grew up next door to an agnostic family and they celebrated CHRISTMAS as a holiday to appreciate family and friends with the Christmas tree, lights, presents, songs, cards, etc...they just left religion out of it. Which is what schools should do, and is what parents should accept! I just don't understand why some people are so hostile...chill out, relax...Just let the kids be kids (and enjoy it)!!

I'm just waiting for the Easter bunny to be banned! I can see it now...
"Parent claims Easter bunny moved the stone from Jesus' tomb. Petitioning to have the Easter bunny banned from American culture!"

Im tired of all of this ridiculous banning crap. Most schools dont even celebrate anything, becuase they cant just call it christmas anymore, and even "holiday celebrations" are slowly being banned. No class parties, no fun things anymore. Ignorant adults are ruining all of the magic and fun for our children. Its such a bummer. We are slowly turning into all of those movies set in the indeterminate future where everything is white, controlled, and insufferable.

I grew up in the 80's and I clearly remember singing silent night and the dreidel song at my holiday pageant. No biggie, everyone's happy.

white as in colorless, lacking depth of any kind, etc, btw.. not caucasian

lol, ever seen a santa or rudolph in your church? none in ours. my girls go to catholic school and at our christmas performance there are NEVER any songs about santa or rudolph; they are about Jesus!

silly that little children can't sing about a cartoon character without someone hiring a lawyer and demanding equal time for something that isn't equal.

""I personally feel that if a public school is going to put on a holiday pageant kind of thing, they should include Hanukkah songs.""

do you mean songs from all cultures represented in the USA or just, if xmas songs, then Hanukkah songs too? it would be hard to draw the line as to what is an important holiday to get festive about at school, and also have time for the school work too! if there is any problem with pubic schools it is the lack of quality education and safety

if they did keep everything religon/culture- neutral at public schools, it could still be okay, because children could do the holiday activities (singing carols, cutting out snowflakes, making gingerbread cookies, etc) associated with their family's culture/religion at home, with relatives,at the daycare their parents choose, etc. In principal this is a secular state, and some groups seem to feel sick of the christianity being shoved down their throats.
i like christmas carols, but i am biased because its my cultural background. and if it was overly jesusy that might be hard to take, because i hope to raise my son an agnostic, like our whole family. So i can see why some people want rudolph gone.
At the same time, although i am not religious, i dont know if the world will be a better place without religion. the USA is one of the most religious countries is the western world and if it is going totally secular, well, obviously the world is changing!

Some people have too much time on their hands. This idiot woman needs to get over it. What's next? Banning Christmas altogether?

I wish people would stop being so difficult. I went to a school without any religious ties (in my country we have different schools for everything kind of religion and 1 type for no religion at all) and we still celebrated Saint Nicolas and Christmas and it was never a problem.

What is this woman afraid of happening to her child by singing or hearing a song about another religion? Will it hurt him? NO, so what's the problem?

um kind of stupid lady. Why not take YOUR kid out and let the other kids have their fun?!

"lol, ever seen a santa or rudolph in your church?"

Yes at our Catholic Church Santa came and visited the children on Sunday before mass, then stayed and sat with them in the two front pews.

What's the big deal? If she doesn't want her child in the program, don't let her child be in the program. Don't ruin the program for everyone else, lady!

"lol, ever seen a santa or rudolph in your church?"

I've seen Santa at church too. The church I used to go to had windows on the ceiling near the altar and you could see the chimney out those windows. Every year my dad would put a cutout of a Santa with a bag of toys on the chimney. The Santa was looking over his shoulder and making a "shh" sign with his finger over his mouth. When kids would walk up with their parents to be blessed during communion, the kids would see Santa and get jazzed about it.

first off, santa is NOT a religious icon. and what happend to the first amendment and the freedom of religion? singing a hanukka (srry cant spell it) song is religous! HEY LADY, DONT CRY WOLF ABOUT SOME THING RELIGIOUS WHEN YOUR GONNA MAKE A WOLF ACTULY BE THERE! gosh... TAKE A CHILL PILL LADY! i bet they sang rudolph when you where a kid...

I'd like to propose that while Santa and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer are not part of the by-the-book original Christmas in a religious sense, they are a part of our society's contemporary Christmas observances. I don't think anyone can deny that Christmas is a primarily Christian holiday. (albeit celebrated by lots of non Christians around the world) Because Christmas is a Christian holiday, Santa and Rudolph symbolize a Christian holiday, and because Christianity is a religion, Santa and Rudolph symbolize a religious observance.

Having said that, I do not object to my daughter singing along with "secular" Christmas songs. I will not be comfortable with her singing songs like "Silent Night" or "Away in a Manger". She has always been taught at home that Christmas is a holiday that we don't celebrate at home because we aren't Christians, but that we respect others rights to celebrate whatever they want.

ALL songs about ANY religious holiday should NOT be in PUBLIC school. People do not grasp this simple concept because they don't want to. If this woman thinks that adding a Chanukah song makes it "better", then she's just as clueless as those who refuse to drop the Xmas songs. And you can test what most peoples' agenda is when you say "Ok, you sing your Xmas song, and I'll sing one to my Lord & master, Satan." Funny how the whole "free exercise of religion" thing takes a nosedive after that....

This is ridiculous, I am non-religious but I still think that schools should be allowed to have Christmas and any other celebration they want. Public Schools are not a place where people should war about their social, religious or politcal values.
The school is for education but there also needs to be room for fun aswell. Growing up in a community where the majority of people are Christian and having to witness Christmas carols and the Religious Education plays have not made me any worse of a person. Alot of people in the world need to lighten up and just accept that not everyone can agree. There is no point striving for extreme political correctness in a place where many different kids from different backgrounds will go, there is no way for everyone to agree. Religious differences doesn't necessarily mean people can't get along, religion is a personal thing. I personally believe it doesn't matter which religion you are involved in. They are all trying to connect with god. Having a connection with god is more important than the moral values.