Nativity plays and public schools

[Richelle Votaw]

At 5:47 PM +0000 11/22/03, melclaros wrote:

>This is one thing that we're (Americans) good at, even if some >of us do
get shrill and take things waaayyy too far over the >top. You won't see a
Nativity Play in an American public >school. Period.

That's not necessarily true.  I teach in a public school, this is my fifth
year in this school.  Our Christmas program is divided by grade level, so
each grade puts on a ten minute program/song/dance/whatever.  And there is
always at least one Nativity play during the program, or something very
blatantly religious.  Last year the 3rd grade did a song, "Jesus, What a
Wonderful Child."  A very, very Christian song--normally a choir song in
churches.  The pre-k did "O Little Town of Bethlehem."  They all dressed as
angels and bowed before the manger, one at a time.  This year our theme is
"Celebrating the King around the World."  Each grade focuses on one country,
and as you can tell from the theme, Christian themes are welcome.

Anyway, just pointing out that there are a few areas where you will still
find Nativity plays in American public schools.

Richelle