

THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS: The religious message raises an objection to a public school field trip to a church to see the play.

In case you missed it, Channel 4 reported recently on Terry School parents unhappy about a planned outing to Agape Church to see a production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

The parents felt the production promoted Christianity, but were reluctant to have a child sit out the trip.

The Fox News echo chamber has run wild with the story nationally, seeing it as a handy fit for the “War on Christmas” meme that it slavishly promotes each year.


What’s wrong with the little round-headed boy? Nothing. But really. A field trip to an evangelical church to see a play with an overtly Christian message delivered in part by Scripture readings? A play in which the teacher has a role? A play promoted by a memo that says candidly:

“This production will expose your child to the amazing world of theater productions and enhance your child’s creative imagination in the area of dramatic arts. . . . This production does expose your child to Christianity through some of the songs and scenes. (If you prefer your child to not attend the program they may stay at school and be allowed to sit in another classroom. Please let your teacher know if your child will not be attending).”

Proselytizing it is. And pretty cold to the potential feelings of young kids, but that’s the tyranny of the majority at work. It’s not even close, really. No public school district should officially promote it, certainly in a way that leaves any families or children marginalized. I’ve asked the Little Rock School District if the trip will go on as scheduled. Parents and kids are free to attend on their own time, of course.


I like the show, too, having just reviewed a chunk of it on YouTube. But I’m with the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, which has quite a bit to say on the subject in the non-warlike, reasonable release that follows: