[12.15.11]
Tonight I went to the Dayton Grade School Christmas Program. Let those words sink in for a moment. A public grade school plus a Christmas program don't go together.
[And then I discontinued writing this post until 12.27.11, though it feels like it was a months time, not two weeks.]
This program was astounding. Sure, it was just a bunch of grade schoolers singing a very strange variety of songs with a fair quality for all the hard work they've put in over weeks of awkward, difficult scheduling. (Side note: It's incredibly difficult for teachers to handle the crazy winter concert rehearsal scheduling, so it must be murder on the kids, who, although they don't know it, only thrive on consistency.) What really stuck with me though, was the Christmas (not winter holiday) carols, especially the ones that recognized the birth of Christ. I really enjoyed this, as I had found myself in the last refuge of Christianity being officially displayed in a school setting. The rural school truly is the last battlefront.
You see, while Christianity suffers far less persecution in America, it is still there, and one of the biggest places you can find it is in any place known as a government facility, especially schools. The attitude of late by a growing number of people is that the separation of church and state, a piece of our nation's constitution meant to prevent ALL religious persecution, is being bastardized by the pseudo-religion formed by devout, intolerant Atheists and anti-Christians. This ever-growing movement has been trying to squash out rights from the top level, all the way down to the ranks of boards, superintendents, administrations, teachers, and even students from displaying, discussing, or practicing religion. To them, any bit of religion, especially the dominant religion of Christianity (statistically speaking), should not be an influence in schools or governments.
As always, it's a balance. A fair, equal, tolerant, unpersecuting government cannot proselytize! But to take the rights of religious freedom from MEMBERS of the government and those served by it is to take rights from CITIZENS themselves. Religion is a cornerstone of culture, even if some would like to see it removed, and it would be absolutely wrong for children in the culture of Dayton to be denied the chance to participate in their cultural heritage, to learn about the beliefs many of them share, and to experience the joy of one of our nation's most celebrated holidays because it is somehow "unfair". That, in itself would be unfair.
Ahh, but this is a self-portrait, isn't it. Well, you will rarely hear me get political on this blog, because that's not what its about, but some of the most important things to me as of late, somewhat for obvious reasons, are religion, civil rights, and education. This issue is, and as an educator, will be something that I will actively wrestle with for a long time. And to see one last vestige of something that is seeing its last days was a blessing. And it truly gave me peace.
[And then back to 12.15.11, when I was preoccupied with Ron Swanson's awesomeness on Parks & Rec.]
Also, this:
Tonight I went to the Dayton Grade School Christmas Program. Let those words sink in for a moment. A public grade school plus a Christmas program don't go together.
[And then I discontinued writing this post until 12.27.11, though it feels like it was a months time, not two weeks.]
This program was astounding. Sure, it was just a bunch of grade schoolers singing a very strange variety of songs with a fair quality for all the hard work they've put in over weeks of awkward, difficult scheduling. (Side note: It's incredibly difficult for teachers to handle the crazy winter concert rehearsal scheduling, so it must be murder on the kids, who, although they don't know it, only thrive on consistency.) What really stuck with me though, was the Christmas (not winter holiday) carols, especially the ones that recognized the birth of Christ. I really enjoyed this, as I had found myself in the last refuge of Christianity being officially displayed in a school setting. The rural school truly is the last battlefront.
You see, while Christianity suffers far less persecution in America, it is still there, and one of the biggest places you can find it is in any place known as a government facility, especially schools. The attitude of late by a growing number of people is that the separation of church and state, a piece of our nation's constitution meant to prevent ALL religious persecution, is being bastardized by the pseudo-religion formed by devout, intolerant Atheists and anti-Christians. This ever-growing movement has been trying to squash out rights from the top level, all the way down to the ranks of boards, superintendents, administrations, teachers, and even students from displaying, discussing, or practicing religion. To them, any bit of religion, especially the dominant religion of Christianity (statistically speaking), should not be an influence in schools or governments.
As always, it's a balance. A fair, equal, tolerant, unpersecuting government cannot proselytize! But to take the rights of religious freedom from MEMBERS of the government and those served by it is to take rights from CITIZENS themselves. Religion is a cornerstone of culture, even if some would like to see it removed, and it would be absolutely wrong for children in the culture of Dayton to be denied the chance to participate in their cultural heritage, to learn about the beliefs many of them share, and to experience the joy of one of our nation's most celebrated holidays because it is somehow "unfair". That, in itself would be unfair.
Ahh, but this is a self-portrait, isn't it. Well, you will rarely hear me get political on this blog, because that's not what its about, but some of the most important things to me as of late, somewhat for obvious reasons, are religion, civil rights, and education. This issue is, and as an educator, will be something that I will actively wrestle with for a long time. And to see one last vestige of something that is seeing its last days was a blessing. And it truly gave me peace.
[And then back to 12.15.11, when I was preoccupied with Ron Swanson's awesomeness on Parks & Rec.]
Also, this:
