Liberty Counsel
NEWS RELEASE

Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - 800-671-1776

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 11, 2006

Massachusetts - After the Medway School District was criticized over its censorship of Christmas, the superintendent recently gave teachers guidelines that allow celebration of the Christmas holiday. Last Christmas season, Liberty Counsel contacted the District on behalf of parents who complained that Medway Middle School had banned students from wearing red and green elf hats during its "winter" pageant, Christmas trees were called "Magical trees" and a religious song was censored. This year, according to the guidelines, Medway schools can have Christmas trees and religious Christmas songs.

Wisconsin - After a year of persistent effort by Robert Wortock, with Liberty Counsel's assistance, the Racine Common Council reversed last year's decision and voted 15-0 last week to allow a nativity scene display downtown in Monument Square. (On October 17, the Council voted 14-1in favor of the nativity scene, but a re-vote was taken on November 8 due to a question about notice.)

Around the Nation - This is only the beginning of the Christmas season and already, Liberty Counsel is receiving many telephone calls and email reports about Christmas censorship. In Florida, a student was chosen to be Mrs. Claus in an after-school choral group, but the principal later told her that the play would not take place because a parent complained about Santa Claus. The same group learned songs for Kwanzaa and Hanukah. In another Florida public school, the calendar of holidays lists "Christmas" as "winter" and Thanksgiving Day as "International Festival." A church in New Mexico entered its float in a Christmas Parade, but local government officials advised church leaders not to use the name of Jesus in songs performed in the parade. The words to "Silent Night" were changed to "Candle Light" in an elementary school program in a New York school. Teachers in North Carolina were told not to wish students "Merry Christmas" or display anything in their classrooms using the word "Christmas." Teachers at a Tennessee public school were told to keep Christmas out of their plans for this year. A clothing store worker in Virginia was advised by her supervisor that the company mandates that the employees use "Happy Holidays" as their greeting over the phone.

On its web site, www.LC.org, Liberty Counsel offers legal memoranda to educate government officials, teachers, parents, students, private businesses, employees and others that it is legal to celebrate Christmas.

Anita Staver, President of Liberty Counsel, commented: "Thanksgiving isn't even here yet, and already we are having a tremendous response to our fourth annual Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign. We are pleased that the Medway School District took our advice and stopped censoring Christmas. Medway has been removed from our 'Grinch List', but we will continue to expose other Christmas foes until we win the war on Christmas."

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