A group of Massachusetts parents tried to cancel a school trip to see the Nutcracker ballet in order to spare their children from religious indoctrination. Or, as some people might alternatively describe it, “seeing a Christmas tree on the stage.”
Members of the Butler Elementary School PTA complained that the annual trip was “discriminatory” because of its “religious content” and arranged to have it secretly canceled, according to the local report from WHDH:
The issue came to a head at a PTA meeting Tuesday night. A source said some people were told they were being discriminatory if they supported their kids going to “The Nutcracker.”
“I went once as a kid as well. I think it’s anybody’s choice. They should still offer it but you don’t have to go if you don’t like,” said parent Adam Campana.
These disgruntled parents attempted to keep their decision quiet, but more parents soon found out about the cancellation and the move was eventually reversed.
One wonders what else these kids will be banned from: Walking past the Christmas trees outside Lowe’s and Walmart? Turning on CNN during the tree-lighting ceremony? Will they wear blinders while strolling through decorated neighborhoods? Do these parents plan to scrap basically all classical music, art, and literature from their child’s curricula?
When it comes to what their children watch, parents deserve a reasonable amount of discretion. But a culture where children are compulsively shielded from even the whiff of something their parents disagree with is not a culture of tolerance; it’s one of fear and ignorance.
(h/t Reason)
