Crosses Yanked from Nov. 11 Gr. 3 Display

[geoffrey]

It doesn't matter what you think they represent, they represent the Christian religion.

By that logic, headscarves and kirpans must be banned from public schools as they represent religion too. If your willing to go there, I'm willing to agree.

As long as your fine with Christian kids having to take off their cross jewelry also.

In a public school, I think that's a reasonable expectation if they wear it outwardly. If it's a small cross under their shirt, who cares... if it's a honking 10 footer, then yes, it has little place in a public school.

I do disagree that the crosses from Flanders is a Christian symbol though gerry, I don't follow your logic there.

[gerryhatrick]

It doesn't matter what you think they represent, they represent the Christian religion.

By that logic, headscarves and kirpans must be banned from public schools as they represent religion too. If your willing to go there, I'm willing to agree.

As long as your fine with Christian kids having to take off their cross jewelry also.

In a public school, I think that's a reasonable expectation if they wear it outwardly. If it's a small cross under their shirt, who cares... if it's a honking 10 footer, then yes, it has little place in a public school.

I do disagree that the crosses from Flanders is a Christian symbol though gerry, I don't follow your logic there.

But the challange was that kids should have to give up their non-Christian personal symbols/outer wear because of this. Many Christians wear earring and necklace crosses. They're not "honking 10 footer", but that doesn't matter..they're visible.

The cross is a Christian symbol. I don't know how you can't follow that logic. I understand that the context of the cross in this case is the Flanders poem, but that doesn't change the simple reality.

My personal opinion is that this was handled poorly. They should have left the exhibit alone. The mistake had been made and the harm caused to the kids by trying to fix it far outweighed any possible harm from "offending" any kids with the display!

[geoffrey]

But the challange was that kids should have to give up their non-Christian personal symbols/outer wear because of this. Many Christians wear earring and necklace crosses. They're not "honking 10 footer", but that doesn't matter..they're visible.

The cross is a Christian symbol. I don't know how you can't follow that logic. I understand that the context of the cross in this case is the Flanders poem, but that doesn't change the simple reality.

My personal opinion is that this was handled poorly. They should have left the exhibit alone. The mistake had been made and the harm caused to the kids by trying to fix it far outweighed any possible harm from "offending" any kids with the display!

That's a bit of a strawman on the initial paragraph. If headscarves and kirpans were removed from schools, I'd be ok with no visible expressions of religion. I believe this would be best limited to elementary and possible the junior high system though. I'd struggle with oppressing the expression of a socially conscious group of people, being high school students. I'd have to think on that one a bit. Little kids merely express the will of their parents and their personal freedom isn't really being infringed upon by such a policy. Older kids, there is a freedom issue there.

That's like saying a cresent moon shouldn't be allowed in a Halloween display because it represents Islam. Tha'ts taking it too far.

Agreed on the last point.

[gerryhatrick]

If headscarves and kirpans were removed from schools, I'd be ok with no visible expressions of religion. I believe this would be best limited to elementary and possible the junior high system though.

So you'd ban all visible religious expresion on kids bodies. A little girl with a cross necklace would have to remove it

[geoffrey]

If headscarves and kirpans were removed from schools, I'd be ok with no visible expressions of religion. I believe this would be best limited to elementary and possible the junior high system though.

So you'd ban all visible religious expresion on kids bodies. A little girl with a cross necklace would have to remove it

Yes, if it was visible, to a certain age range where I believe it's a personal expression and I'd have problems with controlling that.

[gerryhatrick]

If headscarves and kirpans were removed from schools, I'd be ok with no visible expressions of religion. I believe this would be best limited to elementary and possible the junior high system though.

So you'd ban all visible religious expresion on kids bodies. A little girl with a cross necklace would have to remove it

Yes, if it was visible, to a certain age range where I believe it's a personal expression and I'd have problems with controlling that.

Well then you're obviously in favor of getting rid of these Christian crosses from the bulliten board.

[geoffrey]

Well then you're obviously in favor of getting rid of these Christian crosses from the bulliten board.

Whoa strawman. Like I said, I don't believe these to be a religious symbol. I don't regard a cresent moon on a Halloween display a Muslim symbol.

There is in a factual sense crosses in Flander's field. Why disguise history to play the PC card?

[gerryhatrick]

Well then you're obviously in favor of getting rid of these Christian crosses from the bulliten board.

Whoa strawman. Like I said, I don't believe these to be a religious symbol. I don't regard a cresent moon on a Halloween display a Muslim symbol.

That's like saying hot-cross buns at a bake sale aren't a Christian symbol.

Uh, yes of course not.

The context of a moon in a Halloween display is obviously not religious. It's not representative of Muslims in the least, anymore than a bake sale item is representative of Christians.

The crosses on the board are representative of a religion, however.

[geoffrey]

The crosses on the board are representative of a religion, however.

But in a historical context. I don't think we need to remove the Saint from Saint John's now do we?

[Canadian Blue]

GH, here's the thing though, the poem "In Flanders Fields" says crosses clearly. Should we then get rid of the poem due to the reference. I don't think the crosses were meant to interpet Christ's death on the cross, but the sacrifice our soldiers gave for the country.