The law in this matter, however, is abundantly clear. If secular expressions of Christmas are allowed, school officials may not deny religious expressions of the same. For example, if a secular display of a Christmas tree, snowman, or Santa Claus is placed in the school's hallway, a Nativity scene with Mary and Joseph looking into the manger at baby Jesus cannot be denied from the same parameter of view. A public display of a religious scene standing alone would be improper. But if the secular is allowed, the religious cannot be denied. If the religious is allowed, the secular must be added. Therefore, it is not a violation of the First Amendment for public school employees or students to erect religious displays of Christmas, sing Christmas carols, etc., as long as the secular is included within the same context.
Of course, one might argue, "Yes, but to include the religious often causes an offense for some." Indeed it does. But there is no constitutional protection from offenses and neither should there be. To intimidate, threaten, deny or stifle the religious rights of one is to jeopardize the rights of all. A school official, principal, teacher or student's constitutional right to religious expression during Christmas (or any other time for that matter) doesn't end at the school house door.
Recently, I came across a children's book by Jean Gietzen titled If You're Missing Baby Jesus. The book is a true story about Geitzen's mother purchasing a Nativity set during a bitterly cold Christmas, only to discover it had two baby Jesus figurines. The mother was deeply concerned that perhaps someone else who had bought a Nativity set from the same store might be missing a baby Jesus. So she contacted the store manager via her children and the manager posted a sign in the store that read, "If You're Missing Baby Jesus, Call 7162." Someone did call, but it wasn't about the baby Jesus. Instead it was a poor woman, with a destitute and needy family, who called the number, hoping to find some compassion and help. Geitzen's family sprung into action to provide all the trappings of Christmas, as well as warmth and food, for a family that had nothing. They even gave their extra baby Jesus figurine for a Christmas decoration. Geitzen concluded the book, writing, "Without saying anything we knew Christmas could never be the same after this. The extra Jesus in our home hadn't been ours to keep after all. He was for someone else ... for a desperate family."
This is how every Christian feels during Christmas. Jesus is not someone we can keep to ourselves. The purest meaning of Christmas comes in sharing Christ with a desperate and needy world. To deny Christians in public schools the opportunity to worship God in this manner is to deny them their constitutional right to religious expression. Worse still, it means the public schools will be missing the baby Jesus!
Rev. Mark H. Creech (calact@aol.com) is the executive director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc. (ChristianActionLeague.net), based in Raleigh.
© 2004 Agape Press. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.
