A Buffalo-based radio host decided to throw truth to the wind on Tuesday and hand out T-shirts at Batavia High School with a simple message, "Merry Christmas."
The act stemmed from an inaccurate news report by Rochester's News 8 that the school district recently banned "Merry Christmas" and other sectarian religious expressions from the school district.
As The Batavian posted the night News 8's report aired, the district has a decades-old policy about public religious expressions, but the policy also explicitly allows students and facility to engage in personal expressions of faith.
The Batavia Daily News story makes it sound like Batavia City Schools are intolerant of such expressions.
Kathy Weppner, whose program is broadcast at WBEN Radio, 930 AM, said she brought 300 shirts to the high school to support freedom of speech for students and faculty.
...
BHS junior Chelsea Dibble, 16, gave out shirts after she was asked to by Weppner and the four fans she brought with her.
“We think we should be able to wear what we want to wear,” Dibble said.
Dibble said the shirt has to say “Happy Holidays” and not “Merry Christmas” to be worn in the school.
“I think it’s cruel,” she said.
Of course, according to school policy, Dibble can wear a shirt that says "Merry Christmas" on it.
The school district responded in comments:
1.There is no letter, nor was there ever a letter, sent home to parents that explains BHS policy on teaching about religion and culture.
2. No students were ever told by a teacher that they couldn't talk about Christmas inside the school.
3. It is not against any school rules in the district to wear clothing that has "Merry Christmas" written on it.
4. The policy on religious expression, posted on the website, is the district's policy and is based on state and federal laws, including the First Amendment. It makes no mention of the expression "Merry Christmas."
930 am radio.....geez I
930 am radio.....geez I wonder why? 15 minutes of fame are over.
Yeah, it just against their
Yeah, it just against their policy to say Merry Christmas in any form of Official Assembly or at least that is what I thought it stated on the Batavian.
It can't come across as an
It can't come across as an official statement of the school district, but individuals remain free to say it. Why is that hard to understand?
See now it is not official.
See now it is not official. That is the problem with you media types. You write things as if they are facts rather than opinion. Once again you do not tell the full story. No where in your story did you explain that this was her opinion and not official. Your story made it seems as this was an official school/state/federal policy. What do not you understand.
What the hell are you talking
What the hell are you talking about?
There is nothing in the story that is not factual. There is nothing in my comment that is not factual.
The full story is all there.
This is an excerpt from the
This is an excerpt from the City School District Code of Conduct:
STUDENT RIGHTS
The district is committed to safeguarding the rights given to all students under state and federal law. In addition to those rights, all district students have the right to:
1. A safe, healthy, orderly and civil school environment.
2. Take part in all district activities on an equal basis regardless of age, race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability.
V. STUDENT/STAFF DRESS CODE
All students and staff are expected to give proper attention to personal
cleanliness and to dress appropriately for school and school functions. Students and their parents, along with individual staff members have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and appearance. Teachers and all other district personnel should exemplify and reinforce acceptable student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school setting.
An individual’s dress, grooming and appearance, including hair style/color, jewelry, make-up, and nails, shall:
1. Be safe, appropriate and not disrupt or interfere with the
educational process.
2. Not include the wearing of hats or headwear of any sort in the school building except for a medical or religious purpose.
3. Not include items that are vulgar, obscene, libelous, or denigrate others on account of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or disability.
4. Not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities.
Aside from this written policy, should the Superintendent of Schools offer an 'opinion,' as CSO that opinion should be presumed, official.
1.There is no letter, nor was
1.There is no letter, nor was there ever a letter, sent home to parents that explains BHS policy on teaching about religion and culture....Thats the problem maybe they should send out a letter explaining BHS policy on teaching religion and culture...When i was in school is was called Christmas vacation....They now call it winter recess.....Its all about Dec.25 .