It’s safe to say that an “academic egg hunt” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as “Easter egg hunt” — but that’s what the search will be called at one Alabama elementary school, after the principal banned the word “Easter.”
According to Fox News Radio, Heritage Elementary School principal Lydia Davenport has outlawed the word for the sake of religious diversity.
“Kids love the bunny, and we just make sure we don’t say ‘the Easter bunny’ so that we don’t infringe on the rights of others because people relate the Easter bunny to religion,” Davenport told WHNT News. “A bunny is a bunny and a rabbit is a rabbit.”
Davenport is trying to honor the religious backgrounds of all students — especially after a parent questioned some of the things they do at the school — but some parents aren’t too happy about her choice to ban “Easter” references.
“I don’t get upset about too many things, but this upsets me,” one parent emailed the TV station. “What is this world coming to? I am a Christian and proud to announce it. But even non-believers enjoy a good egg hunt. Kids need to enjoy being kids.”
Teachers had originally arranged to hold a ‘quiz bowl’ egg hunt, where students would answer with egg buzzers and search for answers to quiz questions in “Easter eggs.” The events will still be held, but will not have any reference of “Easter.” Teachers will also be allowed to use shapes other than eggs, as part of the “compromise,” Davenport said.
“We’re just trying to make sure we respect and honor everybody’s differences,” she noted.
Everybody’s differences except those of Christians, apparently.
