Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Let's Keep Jesus Out of Christmas, Shall We?

In Taunton, Massachusetts, a 2nd-grade boy is in big trouble. His teacher asked the class to draw a picture that reminded them of Christmas. Well, this twisted kid drew a stick-figure picture of Jesus on the cross. He drew the eyes as X's to signify that Jesus had died on the cross.

So the school did what any reasonable school would do - they sent him home immediately and required him to undergo a psychological examination before he could return to school. (The teacher had been alarmed at the X's on the eyes, assuming that might indicate violent tendencies from this child.)

Here we have a national holiday. In this case, the teacher even recognized the holiday by asking for the drawings. But must Christian children divorce Jesus' life from Christmas? Granted the theme of his picture might have been more appropriate at Easter, but would the school's reaction have been different then? Not according to their justification as stated publicly. Maybe Christian children must be compelled to draw only pictures of Christmas trees (oh, but there is some connection to Martin Luther, so...). Or they could just draw Santa (oh, but he is actually SAINT Nicholas). Or the manger (but then we have the complexity of the whole virgin birth thing...). How about presents? That's probably safe.

Read more at the Taunton Gazette:
Taunton second-grader sent home over drawing of Jesus

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