Christmas in Your School

Christmas in your school

Many educators want to teach about Christmas but are afraid to do so. Their fear usually stems from complaints they have had (or think they will have) from parents, administrators, or colleagues. The good news is, schools and teachers CAN teach about the religious aspects of holidays as an important part of learning about American culture. 

Part of a Student’s Education
In the case of Florey v. Sioux Falls School District, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, upheld the constitutionality of the school’s policy on religious holidays. The policy stated:
Music, art, literature, and drama having religious themes or basis are permitted as part of the curriculum for school-sponsored activities and programs if presented in a prudent and objective manner and as a traditional part of the cultural and religious heritage of the particular holiday.

Reading the Christmas Story
In Stone v. Graham, the Supreme Court stated “The Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like.”

Christmas Carols
The Supreme Court assumes your school is having children sing Christmas carols. In Lynch v. Donnelly, dealing with the public display of a nativity scene, the Court commented:

"To forbid the use of this one passive symbol while hymns and carols are sung and played in public places including schools, and while Congress and state legislatures open public sessions with prayers, would be an overreaction contrary to this Nation’s history and this Court’s holdings." (Emphasis added)

The largest organization of public school music teachers, the National Association for Music Education, states that “the study and performance of religious music within an educational context is a vital and appropriate part of a comprehensive music education. The omission of sacred music from the school curriculum would result in an incomplete educational experience.”

Terminology
It may be helpful to use the term “recognizing Christmas” rather than “celebrating Christmas.” Using the word “celebrate” may cause some people to feel that you are promoting religious participation in the holiday. There is a difference between “participating” in the holiday in a devotional manner and “recognizing” the holiday in an engaging academic manner. 

It is also best to teach about Christmas using words of attribution such as: “Christians believe…;” “The Bible says…;” “Christmas is special for Christians because...;” and so forth. 

Nativity scenes can be used as teaching aids to illustrate the cultural lesson regarding the birth of Jesus. They are not permanent fixtures in the classroom. 

Christmas carols can be sung as educational experiences for culture understanding; not religious experiences. 

Reading the story of the birth of Jesus to students is permissible to help students gain a basic academic familiarity with a person who has influenced so many people throughout history in government, art, literature, music, and social movements.

Presented with an eye toward education, not endorsement or devotion, recognizing the religious aspects of Christmas is a legitimate academic activity. It is best to start early this fall to inform teachers and administrators that they need not censor Christmas from their programs. 

RESOURCES:
Other Gateways Christmas Resources
Christmas Lesson for Your Classroom
Give “A Gift for Teacher” to educators. It is an eight-page booklet designed to look like a greeting card. It uses a humorous story to explain what can legally be done at Christmas. It includes a model policy, quotes from court cases, and lesson plan ideas.

Easter and State Standards

Here are examples of state academic standards and frameworks that relate to Easter: 

MASSACHUSETTS - Students are to "describe the central features of Christianity (e.g., the belief in a messiah who could redeem humans from sin, the concept of salvation, the belief in an Old and a New Testament in the Bible, the life, and teachings of Jesus.)." (6. T3, 3.d.) 

TEXAS - Students are to "explain the significance of religious holidays and observances such as Christmas, Easter..." 113.18 (17)b.) 

OHIO - "Students should be familiar with and able to identify the geographic origins, founding leaders and teachings of...Christianity." (6.8) 

FLORIDA - Students are to "identify key figures and the basic beliefs of early Christianity and how these beliefs impacted the Roman Empire...Examples are Christian monotheism, Jesus as the son of God, Peter, Paul." (SS.6.W.3.13)

CALIFORNIA - Students are to "note the origins of Christianity in the Jewish Messianic prophecies, the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament, and the contribution of St. Paul the Apostle to the definition and spread of Christian beliefs (e.g., belief in the Trinity, resurrection, salvation)." (6.7.6).  

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For articles on how to teach objectively about Easter click here and here.

To read about our Easter Card for teachers click here

To download our Easter Lesson, click here. It adapts Luke 22-24 into a textbook-style lesson with pictures, vocabulary, culture facts, and discussion questions.

To request our Summary of your State Academic Standards click here.

Helping Students Think About Creation

In the ongoing struggle to free students from hearing only about evolution as the explanation for life's origin, we must think about ways to creatively and legitimately expose students to the weaknesses of the theory and alternatives to it.

Creation and Social Studies

Believe it or not, the California Department of Education has made the academic case that exposing students to creationists' ideas is legitimate for public schools to do. The 2016 California Science Framework states: "Discussions of divine creation, ultimate purposes, or ultimate causes (the why) are appropriate to the history-social science and English-language arts curricula." (p.XIII)

This means that the topic of creation can be taught in two classes in California and the case can be made for its academic legitimacy in other states as well. In a social studies class, the Creation story itself could be read and discussed when learning about ancient civilizations, Hebrew culture, and Middle Eastern history. 

It is equally valid to read and discuss the Creation story while studying the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. America's founding fathers believed that "all men are created equal" and "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." 

In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln stated: "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." 

Dr. King based his famous speech on the understanding that a Creator made men equal: "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'" 

Our nation's view of life's origin has been central to our liberty! It is legitimate to teach about it and to expose students to more recent understandings of scientists who hold to ideas of creation. A teacher could teach a few of the main points about creationism and give the students some tough questions to ask their biology teacher! 

Intelligent Design & Environmental Lessons

There are legitimate and appropriate ways to expose students to a Christian worldview without teaching them directly about creationism. For example, in teaching about weather and clouds, a teacher can point out the difference between random chance (clouds looking like animals) and intelligent design (sky writing); or when studying rock formations or geography, a teacher could, again, point out the difference between random chance and intelligent design by contrasting cliffs that look like faces and the faces on Mt. Rushmore. As Percival Davis and Dean Kenyon point out in their textbook, Of Pandas and People: The Central Question of Biological Origins: 

"Whenever we recognize a sequence as meaningful symbols, we assume it is the handiwork of some intelligent cause. We make the assumption even if we cannot decipher the symbols, as when an archaeologist discovers some ancient inscription on stone. If science is based upon experience, then science tells us the message encoded in DNA must have originated from an intelligent cause." 

Creation and Mathematics

A math teacher can help students think about the improbability of evolution when teaching about exponents. Without ever going into a refutation of evolution, nor ever mentioning the Bible, God, or creationism, the teacher can simply use the improbability of evolution as one example of a very large number expressed in exponents. 

Francis Crick, the scientist who was a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, once wrote: "If a particular amino acid sequence was selected by chance, how rare an event would this be? 

"This is an easy exercise in combinatorials. Suppose the chain is about two hundred amino acids long; this is, if anything, rather less than the average length of proteins of all types. Since we have just twenty possibilities at each place, the number of possibilities is twenty multiplied by itself some two hundred times. This is conveniently written 20200 and is approximately equal to 10260, that is, a one followed by 260 zeros. 

"...Moreover, we have only considered a polypeptide chain of rather modest length. Had we considered longer ones as well, the figure would have been even more immense.... The great majority of sequences can never have been synthesized at all, at any time." 

(Life Itself: Its Origin and Nature (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1981) p. 51-2; As quoted by Henry M. Morris, That Their Words May Be Used Against Them, (Institute for Creation Research, 1997) p. 52) 

This simple illustration may stick with students through all their biology teacher's lectures on the "certainty" of evolution. 

Fishing For Evolution

Warren Nord, in his book, Religion and American Education, points out that when it comes to teaching about evolution, science classes today are like a fisherman who only uses a net with a three-inch mesh, and concludes that there are no fish smaller than three inches since he's never caught any. 

Nord remarks that the "net" science uses doesn't catch everything there is to explain life, yet only what is caught in the "three-inch net" of science is considered real. For example, science requires natural explanations of events; it has no room for miracles or God. 

Teachers can remind students that science, by definition, cannot explain all that is real or important. 

Becoming An Influencer

It is important that Christians at every level within the public schools have more confidence to be people of influence in their spheres of activity. Throughout the public school system there are Christian educators, administrators, school board members, and parents – millions of people! As they begin influencing people around them, they can create an environment that allows the academic freedom to explore alternatives to evolution. 

Creating Academic Freedom

There are 97,000 public schools in America and I believe there are not only Christians in every school, but there are Christians in every classroom. Imagine their impact as they gain greater confidence that voicing Christian perspectives on academic subjects is culturally relevant, academically legitimate, legally permitted, and morally imperative! 

Rather than looking at schools as battlefields (since nothing much grows on a battlefield), it would be more productive to look at them as gardens – places where God has put each of us to appropriately and lawfully plant seeds of truth in the lives of those within our immediate sphere of activity. Your garden may involve a small number of people – maybe between four and eight. It may include teachers, parents, administrators, school board members, and students. 

To begin gardening in your school, visit our home page and sign up to receive our free E-Newsletter. This will provide you with encouraging stories of others who are gardening, plus informative articles and gardening ideas you can easily use to bring a Christian influence to your school. 

Resurrect Easter in Your School

You can help get the Easter story told to your child's class this year. How? By presenting the non-threatening Holiday Restoration Card from Gateways to Better Education to your child's teacher. You also may want to ask the teacher if you can share what Easter means to your family, and even read scripture. 

Diane Borja, a parent, wrote: "The effectiveness of the Easter cards multiplied like bunnies!" She shared the card with her prayer group, and every mom purchased a card to give to their child's teacher. 

"I bought extra cards," Diane explained, "and mailed them to teacher friends in other school districts. My friends were elated and enthusiastically shared the information with fellow teachers." "Thanks to your Easter card," Diane added, "I did a Passover/Easter presentation (complete with a homemade tomb and figures) in my son's second grade class. I had the privilege of explaining the historical meaning of the holiday in a fifth grade class as well." 

The eight-page Easter card tells the humorous story of an encounter between the Easter Bunny and a teacher. The bunny explains that the true message of Easter is about new life in Jesus. The teacher raises all the objections commonly heard from public school educators, but in this story, the smart little bunny is very familiar with U.S. court cases. He helps the teacher understand that teaching about Jesus at Easter is legally permitted. The card also includes legal documentation, Constitutionally-sound lesson plan ideas, and more! 

EASTER RESOURCES:

Order the EASTER CARD, Bunny goes to School, to give to your teacher.

Download our Easter Lesson Plan for Public Schools by CLICKING HERE.

Similar in appearance to a middle school textbook, it adapts Luke 22-24 into a textbook-style lesson with pictures, vocabulary, culture facts, and discussion questions.

We would love to hear how you helped restore Easter in your school. Tell us your story here.

Holiday Restoration Campaign

What will happen if our nation forgets the messages portrayed in our holidays? Many of our children are learning only the secular side of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. They never understand that these traditional holidays teach important lessons about Christianity. 

The problem goes beyond how Christianity is treated during the holidays. Even the mention of God is now suppressed in many classrooms. Both teachers and students are uncertain about their rights of religious expression. Many feel that the law forbids any discussion of God or even praying privately over their lunch. 

The Holiday Restoration Campaign is designed to help correct misinformation and restore accurate teaching of the religious nature of these traditional American holidays. 

Join us in restoring the real reasons for the seasons for public school children. 

An Easy Way to Proclaim the Truth

Gateways to Better Education has published unique materials that open the eyes of educators regarding what the law actually says they can do in the classroom to commemorate religious holidays. The information is packaged in non-threatening holiday cards for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. 

Each 8-page card uses a lighthearted story to show the teacher that teaching about the holidays is legal, and that it is good education for the children. Each card also contains different legal documentation and lesson plan ideas for the teacher to use. By the end of the school year, the teacher will have a better understanding of religious expression and accommodation in public schools. 

Our goal is for every Christian parent to give the cards to their children's teachers. We have found that by the end of the last Christian holiday of the school year (Easter), many of the hearts and minds of educators have opened to the idea of teaching the truth behind each holiday.

Three Powerful Elements Combined in Each Card

Persuasion: Each card is designed to convince educators that teaching about the holiday is a good thing to do.

Documentation: Legal quotes and documentation assure educators that teaching about the holidays is legal.

Action: Each card contains lesson plan ideas to show educators how to teach about the holiday.

How the Campaign Works

The goal of our campaign is to have as many Christian parents as possible give cards to their children's teachers. Also, more and more teachers are purchasing the cards for themselves and for other educators. They find the legal documentation and lesson plan ideas very helpful and reassuring. 

Some of the benefits include:

• More Christian parents will make personal contacts with teachers and administrators.

• Parents, by reading the cards themselves, will learn what the law states about the rights of religious expression in the classroom.

• Teachers and administrators will see the size of the religious community by the sheer number of cards they receive.

• More children than ever before will learn the truth about the religious nature of the holidays.

• Schools will become more open to religious expression and accommodation.

Here's How to Get Started

Parents can purchase our holiday card for their children's teachers and later follow up with them to ask what they thought about the card. Teachers can purchase cards to share with like-minded colleagues. Click HERE to shop.

Teacher-Reacher Packets are also available for parents. They make it easy for you to have a year-long outreach to your child's teacher. The packet contains a set of three holiday cards (1 Thanksgiving, 1 Christmas, 1 Easter), two note cards, a parent-teacher conference checklist to improve communication, and a prayer sheet for recording school-related prayer requests. Quantity discount prices are available. 

To learn how to promote the Holiday Restoration Campaign in your church, call Gateways toll free at (800) 929-1163, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). Gateways has promotional materials available and can offer advice and support.

What Others Are Saying

"The Holiday Restoration Campaign gives teachers and administrators the encouragement and documentation they need to support religious expression and accommodation in their schools. I'd love to see this happen in every school district in America!"
Josh McDowell,
Campus Crusade for Christ

"I've examined these cards carefully and, clearly, they do not violate any constitutional rule or regulation whatsoever."
Judge William Lawless,
Former Dean of Notre Dame Law School

"The cards had a tremendous impact. They just made our Christmas at school!"
Judy Johnson,
A mom from Novi, Michigan

Other holiday resources: Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter.