Solutions to a Christmas Dilemma

Scott Mandel . . . is a truly courageous human being. Risking his own career, he voiced concerns regarding a practice that he felt fostered exclusivity, rather than inclusivity, among his students.

For this, he should be applauded. His concerns are valid. Being sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity is a challenge; the easy answers are not always there. Especially when the welfare of children is a concern, sensitivity is crucial to the educational process. What are we teaching these children? That some of them have the “right” beliefs, and others do not?

Some of the children at Superior Elementary . . . who go to the auditorium and participate in the food drive are going to be faced with a choice. They can partake in an activity for which they feel ambivalence or, at worst, moral repugnance. Or, they may choose not to go up on the stage and thus be conspicuous in their absence.

Either one of these choices have the potential for making the child feel humiliated.

PAMELA CLARK, Irvine