Nebraska Principal Placed on Leave After Banning Christmas From Classrooms

Elementary School principal put on leave after attempting to ban christmas

An elementary school principal in Nebraska has been placed on administrative leave after asking teachers to refrain from celebrating Christmas in their classrooms, district officials announced. 

Last week, Principal Jennifer Sinclair ignited controversy after sending an internal memo to teachers at Manchester Elementary School in Omaha, that included a list of "Christmas-related items" and activities that were being banned. 

"I will do my best to communicate the expectation from here on out, which aligns with my interpretation of our expectations as a public school who seeks to be inclusive and culturally sensitive to all of our students," Sinclair said in the memo.

Among some of the classroom practices Sinclair wanted to de-Christmastize included: 

  • Santas or Christmas items (clipart) on worksheets
  • Christmas trees in classrooms
  • Elf on the Shelf - that's Christmas-related
  • Singing Christmas Carols
  • Playing Christmas music
  • Sending a Scholastic book that is a Christmas book
  • Making a Christmas ornament as a gift - that assumes that the family has a Christmas tree which assumes they celebrate Christmas. 
  • Red/Green items - traditional Christmas colors
  • Reindeer
  • Christmas videos/movies and/or characters from Christmas movies

Also included in the Christmas classroom ban was candy canes, which Sinclair said was a stand-in for Jesus. "Historically, the shape is a 'J' for Jesus. The red is for the blood of Christ, and the white is a symbol of his resurrection. This will also include difference colored candy canes." 

In a message emailed to parents, Sinclair attempted to explain the classroom Christmas ban.

"Last week, in an attempt to provide clarity, I mistakenly sent out an internal staff memo detailing what can and cannot be done in a public school surrounding the holiday season," the email read. 

"I wanted to reach out and make sure our families understand what occurred, and what has been done to correct the issue. I understand that the information I initially provide was incorrect and I sincerely apologize for any confusion or concern this has caused and the negative attention this issue brings to the District and Manchester."

A spokeswoman for the district, Kara Perchal, said Sinclair was placed on administrative leave last week, and that the principal had not released any other comments about the matter. The statement also said that no other schools have reported similar issues. 

"Elkhorn Public Schools District administration promptly addressed the issue at Manchester Elementary School regarding the memo that was sent by the principal to Manchester elementary staff. The memo does not reflect the policy of Elkhorn Public Schools regarding holiday symbols in the school. The district has since clarified expectations and provided further direction to staff in alignment with district policy. This issue was limited to Manchester Elementary School and did not arise at any other schools within the district," the statement read.

Photo: Unsplash


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content