As a public school music teacher for 28 years, I used to look forward to December and the holiday songs. When I was aware that there were Jewish children in a class that I taught, I always made sure to include Menorah and Dreydl songs. I thought it was important for Christians to understand a little about how the Jewish children celebrated Hannukah and for the Jewish children to understand a little about the Christmas season. Unfortunately what is promoted for Christmas is Santa Claus...but for the Jewish folk...the Menorah is their symbol. However, in a more fair comparison, the Menorah would most relate to the Manger Scene as both have religious roots.
It got to the point that with the diversity of religions that I stopped teaching songs of the "season"....as legal issues began to creep in. HOWEVER, Jingle Bells is NOT a Christmas song. It is a song about riding in a sleigh through the country side. I loved to teach the "signing" for this song. The same goes for Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" and also "Frosty the Snowman". Old Frosty is just a snowman...and as far as I can intrepret it, these 3 songs can be sung all winter as no where in their lyrics does it even indicate the Christmas holiday.
Every year, when I was teaching grades K-3, I would have the 3rd graders put on a "talent" show. First the talent show was a "class" event. Everyone had to do something "musical"...it could be playing a song on glasses filled with water to playing the violin. From these "acts", I would select the very best and do a school wide concert.
One year, a boy chose to sing the Amy Grant song "Emmanuel"...he did a wonderful job. The lyrics from this song come from Isaiah 9:6. I agonized over whether or not I would post him to sing for the whole school. My rationalization was....he was good, very good. He was the only one singing...and those listening...could choose to think about something else, if they wished....but his talent and choice of song, should not be denied.
The next morning after the all school concert, I was called to the principal's office and told in very firm terms, not ever to do anything like that ever again as half the community was waiting for him to arrive at school that morning. As the scripture came from the Old Testament, I still, to this very day, don't understand the problem...however. the issue went from there, districtwide, committees were formed and rules cast in stone. Christmas Concerts became Winter Concerts, etc. and so on.
Basically, for all intensive purposes, any song relating to any religion was forbidden in grades K-6, however, each state has an ALL STATE CHORUS on the Junior High level and the Senior High Level and religious, classical, spirituals, are always in the repetoire. These grade levels can also include such music in their concerts. Is there a double standard?
And then I heard on the news the other day, that a music teacher was in trouble for having a class sing "Rudolph"......it never ends.
It got to the point that with the diversity of religions that I stopped teaching songs of the "season"....as legal issues began to creep in. HOWEVER, Jingle Bells is NOT a Christmas song. It is a song about riding in a sleigh through the country side. I loved to teach the "signing" for this song. The same goes for Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride" and also "Frosty the Snowman". Old Frosty is just a snowman...and as far as I can intrepret it, these 3 songs can be sung all winter as no where in their lyrics does it even indicate the Christmas holiday.
Every year, when I was teaching grades K-3, I would have the 3rd graders put on a "talent" show. First the talent show was a "class" event. Everyone had to do something "musical"...it could be playing a song on glasses filled with water to playing the violin. From these "acts", I would select the very best and do a school wide concert.
One year, a boy chose to sing the Amy Grant song "Emmanuel"...he did a wonderful job. The lyrics from this song come from Isaiah 9:6. I agonized over whether or not I would post him to sing for the whole school. My rationalization was....he was good, very good. He was the only one singing...and those listening...could choose to think about something else, if they wished....but his talent and choice of song, should not be denied.
The next morning after the all school concert, I was called to the principal's office and told in very firm terms, not ever to do anything like that ever again as half the community was waiting for him to arrive at school that morning. As the scripture came from the Old Testament, I still, to this very day, don't understand the problem...however. the issue went from there, districtwide, committees were formed and rules cast in stone. Christmas Concerts became Winter Concerts, etc. and so on.
Basically, for all intensive purposes, any song relating to any religion was forbidden in grades K-6, however, each state has an ALL STATE CHORUS on the Junior High level and the Senior High Level and religious, classical, spirituals, are always in the repetoire. These grade levels can also include such music in their concerts. Is there a double standard?
And then I heard on the news the other day, that a music teacher was in trouble for having a class sing "Rudolph"......it never ends.
No comments:
Post a Comment