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Oak Lawn School District has been banning things left and right for their highest authority that is Allah. The school district is considering axing some festivities after reports of them being offensive to some. Final decisions are going to be decided by the principals at each of Ridgeland School District 122’s five schools. Tensions have been high ever since the school decided to ban foods from the schools lunch program that contain pork to accommodate their Muslim students. Jell-O was banned because of the fact that gelatin is often made with tissue or bones of pigs or other animals. This caused a bit of an uproar and the school has agreed to allow it once more.

In an effort to "not offend Muslims," the school is now debating on removing Christmas and Halloween events. Not caring about offending the Christians seems to be a non-issue considering the schools efforts so far.

"It’s difficult when you change the school’s culture," said Columbus Manor Principal Sandy Robertson.

Elizabeth Zahdan, a mother of three District 122 students, says she took her concerns to the school board this month, not because she wanted to do away with the traditions, but rather to make them more inclusive. "I only wanted them modified to represent everyone," she said.

Nixing them isn’t the response she was looking for. "Now the kids are not being educated about other people," she said.

There’s just not time in the six-hour school day to celebrate every holiday, said Smyth, who sent the message to principals that they need to "tone down" the activities that he sees as eating too much into instructional time. "We have to think about our purpose," Smyth said. "Are we about teaching reading, writing and math or for parties or fund-raising during the day?"

It’s interesting to me that we need to alter Christmas to make Muslims more comfortable. I don’t know how one would alter such an event unless you plan on replacing Jesus in the nativity scene with Muhammad. Political correctness seems to be running rampant these days with the need to not offend a very small percentage and in which event offends the majority that seems to matter less and less in this society.

Robertson is hoping to strike compromises that will keep traditions alive and be culturally acceptable to all students — nearly half of whom are of Arab descent at Columbus Manor, she says. Fewer than a third of students district wide are of Arab descent, according to Smyth.

Finding themselves in line with the left, the school finds it’s self trying to please the minority while alienating the majority. If Christmas is really so offensive to Muslims they might as well find a hole to hide in. Christmas, Christ Mass, is a very important part of our culture. Halloween is another issue that I’m sure some Christian disagree with, however, no body plans on stopping Halloween parades because Christians disagree with the celebration.

Following the example of Lieb Elementary School, Columbus Manor School will exchange the annual Halloween parade for a fall festival next month. The holiday gift bazaars at both schools also will remain, but they’ll likely be moved to the PTA-sponsored after-school winter festival. And Santa’s annual visit probably will be on a Saturday.

My question is, what will they ax next in the name of Allah?

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