Letter: Politically correct holidays don't hide Christian focus

Editor,

Halloween was a sad day for some students. Just because a minority of people objected to the holiday on the grounds that it had religious undertones, Halloween was canceled in at least one school in Boston. The tradition of wearing a costume at school that many children look forward to at the end of October was suddenly taken away.

The problem with this is that whether you're aware of it or not, most holidays celebrated in school have more than a subtle religious backing. Easter, Christmas, St. Valentine's Day - they are all based through the Christian religion. So if Halloween is wrong, will all these celebrations be canceled as well? Or is Halloween just special?

I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state, but how far should that extend? If it is acceptable to celebrate church-related holidays in school, then is it acceptable to say the "under God" line in the Pledge of Allegiance in school? I am also a supporter of the minority having a voice, but in what cases do we just plain ignore them? After all, you can't please everybody, so who do you please and when?

I am aware of the trend of making politically correct ways to celebrate church-related holidays in school. Easter Break becomes Spring Break, and Christmas Break becomes Winter Break. But it is implied, if not said, that these are to celebrate church-related holidays. More often than not you'll see a cutout of a Christmas tree in a classroom, not a menorah. And I'm willing to bet that most non-Muslim students have never heard of Ramadan.

This has two main implications. The first is that schools are still Christian-focused, at least in the core of their thinking, and that people have begun to use political correctness as a means of denial. They have begun to ignore the deeper religious implications for the sake of maintaining the appearance of neutrality.

We have not found a solution by any means, but have only made the situation messier. The best part is, we have no idea how to clean it up.

Terri Coleson

UNM student