Too much Christmas Education in my Public School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Overly sensitive people are ruining elementary school. Besides, most of what OP describes is secular.

I know, all these whiny posters expecting public schools to follow the Constitution. Where do they get off?

I would pay good money to see how you would react if you lived in a country where you were a religious minority and your kids were fed nothing but traditions from another religion, even if it was "mostly secular" aspects of that faiths traditions.

Stupid thought experiment. If any of us moved to Israel we would expect to not be accommodated but Israel isn’t a credo nation.

The US is not like other nations. We don't have a national faith. We were founded on religious FREEDOM.

+1. We are not a Christian nation. We are a nation that is predominately Christian. That is an important distinction lost on many posters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a cultural American holiday separate from being a Christian religious holiday.

It is really scary to me how many people seem to believe this.

Why is it scary?

I'm not religious. My family and I celebrate Christmas. We don't celebrate the birth of Jesus, talk about Wisemen. We don't have an advent calendar or candles, which are religious. We don't go to Christmas mass. We have a tree and give presents. We are not celebrating a Christian holiday. Just like at Halloween, we are celebrating a cultural holiday. We are not pagan, we are not observing Smahain.

Do you think when we're celebrating Halloween we're also celebrating a religious holiday?

But you are still celebrating a holiday that's associated with one ethnic group over another.

There are families who celebrate Hanukkah secularly. They light candles, and give presents, and eat gelt and jelly donuts, and don't talk about the miracle etc . . . Would it be OK if the school decorated every worksheet, and read every story about Hanukkah, and got the kids all excited about it for a month, and skipped Christmas altogether? No, because it would be valuing one culture over another.

I believe that families celebrate Hanukkah secularly.

I don't find it scary.

I want "It is really scary" pp to explain why it's scary that people celebrate certain things secularly. That's what I posted about. I, and other people, have addressed prioritizing one celebration over another in other posts.

So, "It is really scary" pp, please answer. Hanukkah PP above might also be interested in you weighing in if it's scary that people believe they celebrate secular Hanukkah.

And I guarantee you that every single family celebrating Hannuka "secularly" is Jewish culturally, and celebrates Hannukah because they are Jewish and it is a Jewish holiday. It's not really a distinction with a meaning. Maybe Halloween is a more difficult case. Maybe in 100 years Christmas will be truly secular, but it's surely not now.

I am American and Christmas is an American holiday, and I celebrate it. I am American and Halloween is an American holiday, and I celebrate it. There are Americans who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, and there are Americans who celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday. And there are Americans who do not celebrate Christmas or Halloween either as American or religious holidays.

I don't find any of this scary. Are you the "scary" person?

The point is, if we were just celebrating secular winter holidays in schools, there should be as much Hannukah and Diwali and Eid as Christmas -- because they can be "secular". In OP's school, there transparently is not.

No, that's not the point of this particular back-and-forth. This particular back-and-forth is because someone said "It is really scary to me how many people seem to believe this" where this is "Christmas is a cultural American holiday separate from being a Christian religious holiday."

"Scary" person, please come and explain why it's scary, and tell me whether it's also scary that people believe Halloween is both a cultural and a religious holiday.

Man you do not get it, and that is scary. It is scary that you believe that, because some people celebrate Christmas in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday. As the PP you responded to most recently pointed out, some Jews celebrate Hanukkah in a secular way, some Hindus celebrate Diwali in a secular manner, etc. But that doesn't remotely mean that any of these are secular holidays. How some people choose to celebrate a holiday does not change the nature of the holiday itself.

As for it being an "American" holiday, it is an American holiday in the sense that the majority of Americans celebrate it. And because Christians make up the bast majority of the population, aspects of Christmas celebrations have seeped into the broader culture. But it is still a religious holiday at its root. By saying Christmas is a secular American holiday, you are saying that Christmas can properly be taught in school to the exclusion of other holidays that somehow are not bestowed as similarly secular because some people celebrate in a secular manner. It also implies that good Americans should celebrate Christmas, even if they adhere to other religions. That's a very dangerous path to go down.

Because some people celebrate Halloween in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday.
Because some people celebrate Christmas in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday.

How people celebrate holidays does change the holiday. I don't celebrate a religious, Christian, Christmas. There is no Jesus. We have Santa and Elves. Those are not part of the Christian Christmas. They are part of a secular Christmas. I agree that for people like the OP, it's irrelevant - they celebrate neither Christian nor secular Christmas, and having "Christmas Education" be such a strong focus is alienating and inappropriate.

"By saying Christmas is a secular American holiday, you are saying that Christmas can properly be taught in school to the exclusion of other holidays that somehow are not bestowed as similarly secular because some people celebrate in a secular manner. "

No, I'm not. You might believe that, but I don't. Secular observances can and are taught in schools. So can and are religious observances. My children have learned about St. Patricks Day, Hanukkah, Diwali, Eid, Buddhist New Year, Thanksgiving (including Canadian), Boxing Day, and many many others. Learning about each other, the school community, the larger community, their state, their nation, and the rest of the world as part of their general education. I'm sorry your children apparently don't have access to similar education, but now you know it exists. And you should go speak to your school if they're excluding holidays, or giving one dominance over others.

Can you explain your assumption that believing secular Christmas exists necessarily leads to excluding other secular holidays from being taught in schools and necessarily requires it is taught in schools? Since that seems to be foundational to your "scary" belief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the point of doing Christmas activities in school is to “educate” the kids about different traditions then they need to teach kids that Santa is fictional, a story told by parents as part of a “cultural experience”. I would be totally ok with that.

(But, of course, that will never happen because the real purpose is to allow Christian kids a chance to celebrate their Christian holiday within the publically funded school.)

Santa isn’t a Christian figure.

Santa is the centerpiece of celebrating Christmas, a Christian holiday

But to PP's point, my DS's 1st grade teacher actually did give a lesson on the historical St Nicholas! I thought that was pretty cool.

The Christians I know who celebrate Christian Christmas would disagree with you vehemently that Santa is the centerpiece of celebrating Christmas. "Jesus is the reason for the season" and all that.

I celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday and Santa is a centerpiece of our holiday.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it makes you feel any better, OP, I too get ticked off with all the Santa, Rudolph, tree focus. But I am Catholic. I feel my faith gets short shrift in public schools' ham handed attempt in "portraying the Christian holiday to the kids". I feel all other faiths get at least a serious focus on what the faith is really about. But if you try to have one serious day about, "Jesus was born in Bethlehem, etc." it is a huge no-no, and just shuffled into the whole Santa/North Pole/Tree sort of thing. That is NOT what my faith is about in the least.

You're mad that your faith isn't properly portrayed in a public school?

Correct.

Uh. It’s public school. If you want a catholic education for your kids you should have sent them to catholic school.

Personally, mine do go to Catholic school. But, to be fair, if we are exposing kids to every religion in public school, just for the purpose of education and exposure and historical awareness, Santa, Rusolph, and Frosty do not check the box for "this is what Christians believe." These are human-created, secular, distractions. So, others, please do not feel like, "These indicate that there is too much of a Christian focus in public schools." Far from it. We are all getting short shrift in the public schools.

I don’t think world religions need to be seriously covered in K. Maybe in HS as an elective.

Cultural events & celebrations are fine though. Nothing deep just touch on a wide variety of cultures for exposure. They are there to learn to read.
You

Absolutely fine with me. Then, what is op complaining about?

Sounds like they only cover Christmas at her kid’s school. And they spend a lot of time on it. Enough to make some kids feel excluded.

But it does not sound like they cover Christmas. They do things like Frosty, Rudolph, and a Dhristmas tree. All of which are secularly conceived, often by Jewish-American entertainers (Irving Berlin, "White Christmas," etc.)

Actually, if you look at the original post, they talked about the theee wise men, baby Jesus and the nativity. She wasn't just talking about Christmas trees, Santa, or reindeer.

But even if she were, even if you consider those things secular, they are secular things all associated with Christmas. Even in a secular/cultural celebration of Hanukkah, none of those things appear. If cultural Christmas things are discussed to the exclusion of cultural aspects of other religions, or if their prevelance dwarfs other discussions, that is problematic in a public school.

It sounded like the more religious stuff was in Spanish class, which can be appropriate. Just like my child's French teacher covering St. Nicholas' Day as part of their education about French language and culture. Unfortunately, due to the preponderance of Christmas-related activities in the regular class, it became part of the overwhelming Christmas deluge. Had the regular class just done one day of Christmas crafts, and had a more general winter theme for the others, that probably would have helped. OPs plan to talk to the teacher is a good one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Overly sensitive people are ruining elementary school. Besides, most of what OP describes is secular.

They may be secular. But when they’re not part of your child’s holiday tradition, and they’re getting shoved at your child every day for a month, with comments like “these are part of an American holiday—aren’t you American?”...do you see where there might be a problem?

Listen, I grew up Jewish in the 1980s, learning Christmas carols in school. It was totally fine to sing the songs at school, then come home to our winter celebrations. But there was no Santa at school, no elves, no discussion of the Nativity. I discussed those things with my friends outside of school, sure, even helped a friend or two decorate their tree at their house. And we had them over for Hanukkah festivities. These celebrations don’t need to be in school. It doesn’t have to be an “our festival or no festivals” mentality.

My elementary aged child has some Jehovahs Witnesses in her class. Should the school do away with all birthday celebrations (parent can come in and read a story, child can donate a book to the library)?

This is a serious question - I don't know the answer. I know the Jehovahs Witness children do sometimes feel alienated by various celebrations, and their parents don't even send them to school on Halloween (even though the school doesn't have the children dress in costumes or anything). But I also know that these celebrations can be fun and educational for kids. I like the literacy-oriented birthday observances. And you can't just not have them when there's a kid who doesn't observe, because then you're dealing with inconsistencies in the curriculum which makes things challenging for schools to juggle.

[Anonymous]

In my kids’ school they don’t even celebrate Halloween for fear of upsetting some people. I am catholic, but I can’t believe that at this day and age a school is able to make such a big deal about one particular region’s customs. I am sorry OP. I hope your DD’s school exoerience is otherwise good and welcoming

[Anonymous]

11:07 Agreed. And in DC of all places. Very surprised. Public Schools should be secular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Overly sensitive people are ruining elementary school. Besides, most of what OP describes is secular.

Yes, lots of angry posters calling others anti-semites.
If you hate the holiday, fine. But do not ruin it for everyone else.

Reindeer and elves and fairies and gnomes are not mentioned in any religious book.

There was only one accusation of anti-semitism, and that was in response to a poster who said Jews killed Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a cultural American holiday separate from being a Christian religious holiday.

It is really scary to me how many people seem to believe this.

Why is it scary?

I'm not religious. My family and I celebrate Christmas. We don't celebrate the birth of Jesus, talk about Wisemen. We don't have an advent calendar or candles, which are religious. We don't go to Christmas mass. We have a tree and give presents. We are not celebrating a Christian holiday. Just like at Halloween, we are celebrating a cultural holiday. We are not pagan, we are not observing Smahain.

Do you think when we're celebrating Halloween we're also celebrating a religious holiday?

But you are still celebrating a holiday that's associated with one ethnic group over another.

There are families who celebrate Hanukkah secularly. They light candles, and give presents, and eat gelt and jelly donuts, and don't talk about the miracle etc . . . Would it be OK if the school decorated every worksheet, and read every story about Hanukkah, and got the kids all excited about it for a month, and skipped Christmas altogether? No, because it would be valuing one culture over another.

I believe that families celebrate Hanukkah secularly.

I don't find it scary.

I want "It is really scary" pp to explain why it's scary that people celebrate certain things secularly. That's what I posted about. I, and other people, have addressed prioritizing one celebration over another in other posts.

So, "It is really scary" pp, please answer. Hanukkah PP above might also be interested in you weighing in if it's scary that people believe they celebrate secular Hanukkah.

And I guarantee you that every single family celebrating Hannuka "secularly" is Jewish culturally, and celebrates Hannukah because they are Jewish and it is a Jewish holiday. It's not really a distinction with a meaning. Maybe Halloween is a more difficult case. Maybe in 100 years Christmas will be truly secular, but it's surely not now.

I am American and Christmas is an American holiday, and I celebrate it. I am American and Halloween is an American holiday, and I celebrate it. There are Americans who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, and there are Americans who celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday. And there are Americans who do not celebrate Christmas or Halloween either as American or religious holidays.

I don't find any of this scary. Are you the "scary" person?

The point is, if we were just celebrating secular winter holidays in schools, there should be as much Hannukah and Diwali and Eid as Christmas -- because they can be "secular". In OP's school, there transparently is not.

No, that's not the point of this particular back-and-forth. This particular back-and-forth is because someone said "It is really scary to me how many people seem to believe this" where this is "Christmas is a cultural American holiday separate from being a Christian religious holiday."

"Scary" person, please come and explain why it's scary, and tell me whether it's also scary that people believe Halloween is both a cultural and a religious holiday.

Man you do not get it, and that is scary. It is scary that you believe that, because some people celebrate Christmas in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday. As the PP you responded to most recently pointed out, some Jews celebrate Hanukkah in a secular way, some Hindus celebrate Diwali in a secular manner, etc. But that doesn't remotely mean that any of these are secular holidays. How some people choose to celebrate a holiday does not change the nature of the holiday itself.

As for it being an "American" holiday, it is an American holiday in the sense that the majority of Americans celebrate it. And because Christians make up the bast majority of the population, aspects of Christmas celebrations have seeped into the broader culture. But it is still a religious holiday at its root. By saying Christmas is a secular American holiday, you are saying that Christmas can properly be taught in school to the exclusion of other holidays that somehow are not bestowed as similarly secular because some people celebrate in a secular manner. It also implies that good Americans should celebrate Christmas, even if they adhere to other religions. That's a very dangerous path to go down.

Because some people celebrate Halloween in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday.
Because some people celebrate Christmas in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday.

How people celebrate holidays does change the holiday. I don't celebrate a religious, Christian, Christmas. There is no Jesus. We have Santa and Elves. Those are not part of the Christian Christmas. They are part of a secular Christmas. I agree that for people like the OP, it's irrelevant - they celebrate neither Christian nor secular Christmas, and having "Christmas Education" be such a strong focus is alienating and inappropriate.

"By saying Christmas is a secular American holiday, you are saying that Christmas can properly be taught in school to the exclusion of other holidays that somehow are not bestowed as similarly secular because some people celebrate in a secular manner. "

No, I'm not. You might believe that, but I don't. Secular observances can and are taught in schools. So can and are religious observances. My children have learned about St. Patricks Day, Hanukkah, Diwali, Eid, Buddhist New Year, Thanksgiving (including Canadian), Boxing Day, and many many others. Learning about each other, the school community, the larger community, their state, their nation, and the rest of the world as part of their general education. I'm sorry your children apparently don't have access to similar education, but now you know it exists. And you should go speak to your school if they're excluding holidays, or giving one dominance over others.

Can you explain your assumption that believing secular Christmas exists necessarily leads to excluding other secular holidays from being taught in schools and necessarily requires it is taught in schools? Since that seems to be foundational to your "scary" belief.

MAJOR logic fail. Just because some people celebrate Christmas in a "secular" way (that is, they don't expressly discuss the baby Jesus, I guess) does not mean it has no religious content. Christmas is a Christian holiday. Even if some people celebrate it in a secular way. Hence, pushing Christmas is pushing a religious holiday on kids ... even if it ALSO has secular aspects. Because it's both things. Clearly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my kids’ school they don’t even celebrate Halloween for fear of upsetting some people. I am catholic, but I can’t believe that at this day and age a school is able to make such a big deal about one particular region’s customs. I am sorry OP. I hope your DD’s school exoerience is otherwise good and welcoming

In my kids' public school they have Pijama Day every year.

As nudists, we find this truly outrageous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the point of doing Christmas activities in school is to “educate” the kids about different traditions then they need to teach kids that Santa is fictional, a story told by parents as part of a “cultural experience”. I would be totally ok with that.

(But, of course, that will never happen because the real purpose is to allow Christian kids a chance to celebrate their Christian holiday within the publically funded school.)

Santa isn’t a Christian figure.

Santa is the centerpiece of celebrating Christmas, a Christian holiday

But to PP's point, my DS's 1st grade teacher actually did give a lesson on the historical St Nicholas! I thought that was pretty cool.

The Christians I know who celebrate Christian Christmas would disagree with you vehemently that Santa is the centerpiece of celebrating Christmas. "Jesus is the reason for the season" and all that.

I celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday and Santa is a centerpiece of our holiday.

Do you believe in god and consider yourself a Christian, though? I call shenanigans on most people who claim to celebrate Christmas "secularly." Unless you're truly an atheist or from a completely different faith tradition, it's most likely in the US that you identify with being Christian, either actively or as part of your upbringing. Just because you don't actually have manger or go to midnight mass does not mean that Christmas is secular, for the vast majority of Americans. I mean, I'm an atheist, but I fully acknowledge that the specialness of Christmas (and why I celebrate it with my child) stems from the religious aspects of my upbringing, and the fact that I have a Christian background.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Overly sensitive people are ruining elementary school. Besides, most of what OP describes is secular.

They may be secular. But when they’re not part of your child’s holiday tradition, and they’re getting shoved at your child every day for a month, with comments like “these are part of an American holiday—aren’t you American?”...do you see where there might be a problem?

Listen, I grew up Jewish in the 1980s, learning Christmas carols in school. It was totally fine to sing the songs at school, then come home to our winter celebrations. But there was no Santa at school, no elves, no discussion of the Nativity. I discussed those things with my friends outside of school, sure, even helped a friend or two decorate their tree at their house. And we had them over for Hanukkah festivities. These celebrations don’t need to be in school. It doesn’t have to be an “our festival or no festivals” mentality.

My elementary aged child has some Jehovahs Witnesses in her class. Should the school do away with all birthday celebrations (parent can come in and read a story, child can donate a book to the library)?

This is a serious question - I don't know the answer. I know the Jehovahs Witness children do sometimes feel alienated by various celebrations, and their parents don't even send them to school on Halloween (even though the school doesn't have the children dress in costumes or anything). But I also know that these celebrations can be fun and educational for kids. I like the literacy-oriented birthday observances. And you can't just not have them when there's a kid who doesn't observe, because then you're dealing with inconsistencies in the curriculum which makes things challenging for schools to juggle.

TBH I'd be ok with getting rid of classroom birthdays. That seems like it would take up a lot of time, for little educational benefit, and penalize kids who don't have parents who can participate for various reasons. The more school is just school, the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Overly sensitive people are ruining elementary school. Besides, most of what OP describes is secular.

Yes, lots of angry posters calling others anti-semites.
If you hate the holiday, fine. But do not ruin it for everyone else.

Reindeer and elves and fairies and gnomes are not mentioned in any religious book.

There was only one accusation of anti-semitism, and that was in response to a poster who said Jews killed Jesus.

Who was responding to OP whining about how the Christians have/had persecuted Jews so that supported his contentions. The main thing is that OP doesn't understand how acculturation works. None of the items about which OP complained are religious in nature but they are definitely mainstreamed Americanisms showing growth towards a bicultural or monoculture lifestyle and the expansion of people's cultural repertoires. Other examples could be of changes in food tastes or clothing styles and fashion trends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my kids’ school they don’t even celebrate Halloween for fear of upsetting some people. I am catholic, but I can’t believe that at this day and age a school is able to make such a big deal about one particular region’s customs. I am sorry OP. I hope your DD’s school exoerience is otherwise good and welcoming

In my kids' public school they have Pijama Day every year.

As nudists, we find this truly outrageous.

Best post on the entire thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a cultural American holiday separate from being a Christian religious holiday.

It is really scary to me how many people seem to believe this.

Why is it scary?

I'm not religious. My family and I celebrate Christmas. We don't celebrate the birth of Jesus, talk about Wisemen. We don't have an advent calendar or candles, which are religious. We don't go to Christmas mass. We have a tree and give presents. We are not celebrating a Christian holiday. Just like at Halloween, we are celebrating a cultural holiday. We are not pagan, we are not observing Smahain.

Do you think when we're celebrating Halloween we're also celebrating a religious holiday?

But you are still celebrating a holiday that's associated with one ethnic group over another.

There are families who celebrate Hanukkah secularly. They light candles, and give presents, and eat gelt and jelly donuts, and don't talk about the miracle etc . . . Would it be OK if the school decorated every worksheet, and read every story about Hanukkah, and got the kids all excited about it for a month, and skipped Christmas altogether? No, because it would be valuing one culture over another.

I believe that families celebrate Hanukkah secularly.

I don't find it scary.

I want "It is really scary" pp to explain why it's scary that people celebrate certain things secularly. That's what I posted about. I, and other people, have addressed prioritizing one celebration over another in other posts.

So, "It is really scary" pp, please answer. Hanukkah PP above might also be interested in you weighing in if it's scary that people believe they celebrate secular Hanukkah.

And I guarantee you that every single family celebrating Hannuka "secularly" is Jewish culturally, and celebrates Hannukah because they are Jewish and it is a Jewish holiday. It's not really a distinction with a meaning. Maybe Halloween is a more difficult case. Maybe in 100 years Christmas will be truly secular, but it's surely not now.

I am American and Christmas is an American holiday, and I celebrate it. I am American and Halloween is an American holiday, and I celebrate it. There are Americans who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, and there are Americans who celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday. And there are Americans who do not celebrate Christmas or Halloween either as American or religious holidays.

I don't find any of this scary. Are you the "scary" person?

The point is, if we were just celebrating secular winter holidays in schools, there should be as much Hannukah and Diwali and Eid as Christmas -- because they can be "secular". In OP's school, there transparently is not.

No, that's not the point of this particular back-and-forth. This particular back-and-forth is because someone said "It is really scary to me how many people seem to believe this" where this is "Christmas is a cultural American holiday separate from being a Christian religious holiday."

"Scary" person, please come and explain why it's scary, and tell me whether it's also scary that people believe Halloween is both a cultural and a religious holiday.

Man you do not get it, and that is scary. It is scary that you believe that, because some people celebrate Christmas in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday. As the PP you responded to most recently pointed out, some Jews celebrate Hanukkah in a secular way, some Hindus celebrate Diwali in a secular manner, etc. But that doesn't remotely mean that any of these are secular holidays. How some people choose to celebrate a holiday does not change the nature of the holiday itself.

As for it being an "American" holiday, it is an American holiday in the sense that the majority of Americans celebrate it. And because Christians make up the bast majority of the population, aspects of Christmas celebrations have seeped into the broader culture. But it is still a religious holiday at its root. By saying Christmas is a secular American holiday, you are saying that Christmas can properly be taught in school to the exclusion of other holidays that somehow are not bestowed as similarly secular because some people celebrate in a secular manner. It also implies that good Americans should celebrate Christmas, even if they adhere to other religions. That's a very dangerous path to go down.

Because some people celebrate Halloween in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday.
Because some people celebrate Christmas in a secular way, it is a secular American holiday that can be separated from its status as a religious holiday.

How people celebrate holidays does change the holiday. I don't celebrate a religious, Christian, Christmas. There is no Jesus. We have Santa and Elves. Those are not part of the Christian Christmas. They are part of a secular Christmas. I agree that for people like the OP, it's irrelevant - they celebrate neither Christian nor secular Christmas, and having "Christmas Education" be such a strong focus is alienating and inappropriate.

"By saying Christmas is a secular American holiday, you are saying that Christmas can properly be taught in school to the exclusion of other holidays that somehow are not bestowed as similarly secular because some people celebrate in a secular manner. "

No, I'm not. You might believe that, but I don't. Secular observances can and are taught in schools. So can and are religious observances. My children have learned about St. Patricks Day, Hanukkah, Diwali, Eid, Buddhist New Year, Thanksgiving (including Canadian), Boxing Day, and many many others. Learning about each other, the school community, the larger community, their state, their nation, and the rest of the world as part of their general education. I'm sorry your children apparently don't have access to similar education, but now you know it exists. And you should go speak to your school if they're excluding holidays, or giving one dominance over others.

Can you explain your assumption that believing secular Christmas exists necessarily leads to excluding other secular holidays from being taught in schools and necessarily requires it is taught in schools? Since that seems to be foundational to your "scary" belief.

MAJOR logic fail. Just because some people celebrate Christmas in a "secular" way (that is, they don't expressly discuss the baby Jesus, I guess) does not mean it has no religious content. Christmas is a Christian holiday. Even if some people celebrate it in a secular way. Hence, pushing Christmas is pushing a religious holiday on kids ... even if it ALSO has secular aspects. Because it's both things. Clearly.

Christmas is a Christian holiday for some people. It is a secular holiday for other people. There are some Christmas elements that are religious, like the nativity, and others that are secular, like Rudolph.

But that's irrelevant here, where we are discussing that someone sees a belief in a secular Christmas as "scary." Can the "scary" person please answer his or her assumption that believing secular Christmas exists necessarily leads to excluding other secular holidays from being taught in schools and necessarily requires it is taught in schools?