Reflections On Our First Class

So…after this first class, what else could I talk about but Christmas! Being a music teacher, one of the first things I think about when I hear the word “Christmas” is CHRISTMAS CONCERT! It’s the highlight of a music teacher’s year! However, with all the joys of putting on a “Christmas concert” (or should I say, “winter concert”!) come all of the politics as well! These are what came to mind when we were discussing the different types of “Christmas” that have all seemed to fuse into one.

I am still allowed to call it a Christmas concert. But there are rules. “Secular Christmas” (reindeer, Santa, Elves, etc.) is fine. However, if “Sacred Christmas” is to be mentioned, so too must other “spiritual” holidays that occur in December (such as Kwanzaa and Hannukah). I am not saying this is “wrong” – of course we should be exposing students to as many traditions and points of view as possible! But I do think I am one of the lucky ones. Many colleagues are not even allowed to mention the "C" word in their schools! I just find it somewhat odd that most school communities expect there to be an elaborate concert - held in December - with somewhat of a celebratory air to it – maybe even decorated with Christmas trees and Christmas lights, and children sporting Santa hats and reindeer antlers - but it is NOT a “Christmas” concert. It is a “winter” concert. Are we really fooling anyone? I think the majority of students performing in these concerts, as well as the majority of the members in the audience know that a celebration of the Christmas season is in the air. Don’t get me wrong – I know that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and that should most definitely be respected. I just find it odd that we are trying to “hide” or “disguise” these concerts when their purposes seem so obvious. And considering all of my students spend all of December and half of January talking about Christmas (especially their Christmas presents!), I’m not entirely sure why we feel the need to put on this façade that it is not “Christmas” – it is “winter”.

At the risk of getting too deep here, it makes me wonder how we can possibly be accurately teaching our students when we have to hide parts of who we are at school. We don’t want to “offend” anyone by talking about Christmas (and personally, I have to wonder...what about peace, love, gift-giving, and celebrating family is offensive anyway?). Christianity is taboo and all traces are removed from the schools. Prayers of any kind (Christian, Muslim, Jewish and so on) are not permitted. Is it possible that we are teaching children to hide who they are in order to create a “one-dimensional, nobody-can-be-different” world? As a country that boasts being a “mosaic” rather than a “melting pot”, are we actually practicing what we preach?

I do agree that in the past public schools were probably too “Christian”. But now I think the pendulum has swung too far the other way, and we are afraid to be anything (at least in public). I think we need to find a healthier balance.
Just a thought.