Letter: Christmas is a religious holiday, not an ideal

Re: “A different perspective on the word Christmas,” Learning Matters column, Jan. 10. Kudos to Joylene Wagner, a longtime resident and former school board member, for taking a position in favor of cultural inclusiveness and separation of church and state in our schools and throughout our diverse city. Wagner clearly and simply explained the current school district policy: “Nowhere does the policy forbid the word ‘Christmas’. What it does encourage is balance and an understanding that schools should not be seen as favoring one faith tradition over another.”

Christmas is a religious holiday — ask a religious Christian what he/she thinks of the commercialization of Christmas — not “an ideal we buy into no matter our ethnic or religious background,” as stated by Brian Crosby in his December column. Those who continually complain year after year that life in our community has changed too much from what they experienced as children should open their minds a bit. They might be pleasantly surprised at their enjoyment of other cultures’ religious and secular observances, not only during the winter season, but throughout the year. And they might realize that diversity improves the lives of our children and makes it ever so slightly more likely that peace may reign between neighbors, and between nations, some day.

Martha Sensel
Glendale