Before I saw this story in the Lowell Sun, I wasn’t familiar with the concept of a “holiday gift room” fundraiser. For years, school like Byam Elementary in Chelmsford have raised funds by asking parents to buy a bunch of trinkets and tchotchkes and donate them to the school. The school then sets up a gift shop in December where, for a few days, students can come in and buy gifts for friends and family.
Hmmmm, buying gifts for others…in DECEMBER. Gee, I wonder what kind of gifts these kids will be buying? I know, they’re [expletive deleted] gifts!
From the memo sent home to parents by Byam Elementary regarding the “gift room”:
Items NOT Permitted:
· No Christmas, Chanukah or religious items
· No Santa, candy canes or stockings
· No Food – Allergies
So, we’re having a Christmas gift sale for Christmas gift giving so the school can make Christmas profits, but you can’t have any gifts related in any way to…Christmas!
Not surprisingly, parents are annoyed. Two moms sent an email to the School Committee summing up the issue perfectly:
We are told that “CHOICE” is a fundamental right except when it comes to freely celebrating our traditions which have religious roots. We asked the administration that all items be allowed which is the American way, or that the gift room is moved to another time of year. These compromises were dismissed in favor of a hypothetical parent who would be enraged by a traditional gift.
Christmas is still a federal holiday. It is the long standing tradition of the United States of America. It is not the job of government employees to redefine traditions because of political correctness. The intolerance is spreading. The Harrington School has adopted the same ban in the name of “diversity.” Diversity means accepting all views NOT suppressing some views. This ban is the opposite of diversity
If the government-run schools find the public celebration of Christmas objectionable then…well, they’re idiots. But if they do, they should get out of the business. Cancel the “gift room,” or move it to some random date in September or March.
But they won’t. They too offended to allow the mention of Christmas, but not offended enough to give up the green. As in “cash.”
And the Chelmsford School Committee apparently won’t give up their idiocy, either. Got an email from one of the moms late Thursday night:
Hi Michael,
I am one of the Moms from Chelmsford that you spoke about on your show today. Thanks so much for your support. After meeting with the PTO this evening, they will continue the ban. It is going to be an uphill battle.
We’ll be speaking with her and getting the latest from Chelmsford on the show today.
"The truth is something [Warren] probably prefers not to confront. Harvard doesn’t come calling just because you’re a smart lawyer and a terrific teacher — not with Warren’s modest, Oklahoma upbringing and non-Ivy League education. She is not your typical Harvard professor. At a certain point, when the law school was under pressure to promote diversity, she represented a three-fer: a great lawyer with a national profile, a woman, and a minority, at least by virtue of family lore. "
-- Joan Vennochi
