Parents: Chelmsford school holding firm on holiday gift-shop re...

[Sad]

this is ANOTHER embarrassment from the school and it's Supt.!!

[Teach the Children]

I don't understand why they are even having an event like this during school hours. The children should be in class (which is what the tax payers pay for) rather than being shaken down for their last penny during school hours. If you want to raise money for the school than you should be doing it on your own time (not the tax payers). Do it at a different locatin too and then there will be no debate and you can do what you want.

[Oh Boy]

kevin wrote:

<quoted text>
LOL best elementry school in Chelmsford. Do you want a gold star? Were did Dr Gilmore get her degree a box of cracker jacks? She does not have the judgement to run the night shift at McD's.
She is EXACTLY what is wrong with the schools. She just does what she wants without taking input from the parents or taxpayers.

Thanks Kevin, we will take the gold star! Now..do you know the difference between a Ph D and an MD? If I'm not mistaken Cracker Jacks only offers an MD so Dr. Gilmore didn't get hers there. It's just a guess, but perhaps a distinguished university? And, just so I am clear...is it only "she" who is "EXACTLY" what is wrong with ALL schools, Chelmsford only schools, high schools, elementary schools? And, let me tell you from experience there is NOTHING harder than managing a night shift at McDonalds! Unreliable employees not showing up, freaked out mothers in mini vans with screaming kids, drunk and s------ teenagers laughing and demanding a "Whopper?" All this on a graveyard shift? Brutal!

[Education or Celebration]

kevin wrote:

<quoted text>
LOL best elementry school in Chelmsford. Do you want a gold star? Were did Dr Gilmore get her degree a box of cracker jacks? She does not have the judgement to run the night shift at McD's.
She is EXACTLY what is wrong with the schools. She just does what she wants without taking input from the parents or taxpayers.

And how exactly do you know what is wrong with the public school system in MASS anywanys? You live in CA-and I am willing to bet that you are not in the education field, I am (not in Chelmsford) and I have also worked in the corporate world and I would take dealing with any cocky CEO, CFO, VP etc. before having to deal with hundreds of parents everyday. And I would like to know how you can to the conclusion that she does what she wants without taking input from the parents or taxpayers. Honestly I think there are thousands of parents across this country who would be thrilled to have their only problem with the public education that their children are receiving be that a candy cane cannot be sold at a fair.

[swatika]

can my child wear a swatika on her clothes in this school? If not, then why not ban all symbols in school such as the cross necklaces. But, perhaps now your getting too personal and infringing on individual freedoms. where do you draw the line. maybe a green and red swaticka? Hail Santa !!!!

[Voice of the Minority]

swatika wrote:

can my child wear a swatika on her clothes in this school? If not, then why not ban all symbols in school such as the cross necklaces. But, perhaps now your getting too personal and infringing on individual freedoms. where do you draw the line. maybe a green and red swaticka? Hail Santa !!!!

Your child can wear a cross, but not a Star of David.

[Carol]

What! Ok not saying Christmas is one thing but not allowing red and green tissue paper! They are insane! And a swastika is a symbol of chaos and genocide, while Santa is a symbol of hope love and peace. How can those 2 be compared?

[Chelmsford Teacher]

Byam supporter wrote:

Amazing. So many have missed it by focusing on their personal agendas. Ever hear of the seperation of church and state? Byam is a public school funded by our taxes and can therefore not allow religeous themed items of any kind to be displayed or sold by the school. Other schools may, but they are violating the law. Everyone is out of their mind upset on something clearly spelled out by the law, but aren't the least bit bothered by overcrowded schools and lack of funding. Teachers with almost 30 students in a class is ok? I'm worried about my kids getting enough attention and being safe in such a situation.
Believe in whatever you want and teach whatever you want to your own kids on your own time, but Gilmore is following the law. I agree it's a bit overboard, but the law is the law.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Our schools are in serious trouble. And not of the candy cane magnet or no candy cane magnet kind of trouble. The overcrowding is taking it's toll on the quality of education. Where was all this passion when we were talking about the real problems in our classrooms? It's been suggested that parent volunteers can helpin classes, but as I read all the posts I wonder if these people belong in the classrooms.

[Our country]

This is our country we should celebrate christmas just like old days i will not let anybody stop me from saying merry christmas,merry christmas ,merry christmas too all if we tryed to stop another country trying to celebrate their holiday they would hang us so why are we trying to make everyone else happy around Christmas time this is our holiday you dont like it tough go back to your country and celabrate your holiday.....MERRY CHRISTMAS to all

[MARY]

BY BEING CORRECT. WE ARE DESTROYING THE FREEDOM OF MANY FOR THE RIGHTS OF A FEW. WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE A DEMOCRACY. CHRISTMAS IS CHRISTMAS AND NO ONE IS FORCED TO CELEBRATE.
IF THEY WANT ANOTHER HOLIDAY OK BUT LEAVE CHRISTMAS ALONE.

[Voice of the Minority]

Our country wrote:

This is our country we should celebrate christmas just like old days i will not let anybody stop me from saying merry christmas,merry christmas ,merry christmas too all if we tryed to stop another country trying to celebrate their holiday they would hang us so why are we trying to make everyone else happy around Christmas time this is our holiday you dont like it tough go back to your country and celabrate your holiday.....MERRY CHRISTMAS to all

I think you meant to say that this is our country and YOU celebrate [C]hristmas. Some of us who are also citizens of this country don't. We want you to celebrate your holiday in your heart, homes, churches, and with your friends as you wish. But in the public arena we don't want you to celebrate your holiday "just like in the old days". In the old days you refused to recognize that there was a minority that didn't celebrate [C]hristmas. The majority, when asked to be inclusive with a song and a few decorations, refused to do so. My parent's generation declined to cause waves when rejected. Our generation will cause and has caused waves.

Say Merry [C]hristmas to whomever you like. But don't be surprised if the response is Happy Holidays. Even the champion of the [C]hristmas conspiracy, Bill O'Reilly, understands this. He complains about stores that wish people Happy Holidays, but runs and Christmas and Chanukah store on his websites. He's no fool.

Be inclusive in the public arena and everyone can have a happy holiday season.

Merry [C]hristmas to you and yours.

[DH in Chelmsford]

Just one more thing to add confusion to the innocent children who would be happy to include all religions in their celebrations and keep the spirit alive all year. Kids are there to learn and what we are teaching them by all of this nonsense is more discrimination because of the conflict surrounding this issue. Grow up you "Grown Ups", Better to include than exclude!

[Mallory64]

What a sad, sad world this has become. I wonder if the Byam children are aware of this turmoil? Has anyone bothered to ask how THEY feel?

Long live Santa Claus and INNOCENT WONDER-FILLED CHILDHOOD!!

[From Vermont]

If there were no customers for the gift shop because of thier policies I think that would solve the problem. The school should not be able to profit from a holiday namely Christmas it refuses to acknowledge. Why does it seem that so few educators have any common sense or respect for Americas Christian heritage??

[Voice of the Minority]

From Vermont wrote:

If there were no customers for the gift shop because of thier policies I think that would solve the problem. The school should not be able to profit from a holiday namely Christmas it refuses to acknowledge. Why does it seem that so few educators have any common sense or respect for Americas Christian heritage??

And cut off your noses to spite your faces at the same time. If you don't support the fund raisers at your schools in these hard economic times, you kids will not have what they need to have a true educational experience. So, go ahead, hurt the kids.

[Really]

parent wrote:

<quoted text>
Religion is the reason that these holidays (and the school vacation during this time) exist.

Actually, the reason that Christmas exists is because the Druids had a Winter Solstice festival that the Church appropriated in order to build their Celtic base. Or were you under the impression that Jesus was actually born on December 25?

[Government run]

LearnTheLawAnne wrote:

No one cares what a "Christian resident of Chelmsford" thinks, Anne.
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".
Learn the law Anne or maybe you need to go back to school.

Actually, that clause was meant to prevent a state run church, like in England. It was not referring to a Christmas shop in school or religious functions held in a government run institution. Perhaps you should go back to school and learn the real interpretation of the constitution as was meant by the founding fathers, and not the fictitious interpretation that the liberals and atheist have drummed up.

[Milt]

For the perfect Nazi Christmas you had to hang glittering swastikas and toy grenades from the pine tree in the living room and, in your freshly pressed uniform, belt out carols urging German women to make babies for the Fuehrer rather than worship the Jewish Baby Jesus. Then came the moment to light the pagan candle-holders — hand-made by laborers at Dachau.
Hitler’s dream of a 1,000-year Reich came to an end long before the world was subjected to 1,000 of his Christmases but an exhibition in Cologne is highlighting how the Nazis, in particular Heinrich Himmler, tried to take Christ out of Christmas.
In removing Christ from Christmas, the Nazis were no different than the PC brigade of today who replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays so as "not to offend".

[chelmsford1]

LearnTheLawAnne wrote:

No one cares what a "Christian resident of Chelmsford" thinks, Anne.
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".
Learn the law Anne or maybe you need to go back to school.

LearnTheLawAnne conveniently left out the rest of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF; or abridging the freedom of speech ..."

How do you go from making a law to respect an establishment of religion, to the banning of candy canes and stockings at Byam school? Ridiculous, don't you think? This is censorship gone haywire.
Would you like to ban blue, silver, red, green, and gold colors as well?

Chelmsford needs to take back our town!

[john]

and what we see here is the end result of Relativisim. The complete loss of common sense!

In this post modernist world in the rush to ensure to not offend anyone, everyone winds up getting offended and the state becomes an iron hand of tyranny!