Call it a case of the Grinch who stole the holiday that we dare not refer to by its actual name. You know, C*****m*s.
In the town of Wallingford, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb, a memo went out to all school bus drivers and aides. Subject: “Bus Decor & Attire.”
“As per Dr. Marseille” — Wagner Marseille, the superintendent of the Wallingford-Swathmore School District — “he has been receiving complaints from parents concerning District employees displaying ‘Christmas’ themed decorations and/or wearing clothing of the same nature,” the memo, obtained by WTXF-TV, read.
“If you have decorated your bus with anything specific to the Christmas Holiday or any other decorations relating to a specific religion, please remove them immediately,” the memo continued.
“In addition, employees are not instructed to wear clothing related to Christmas or any other religious holiday,” it said.
And, just in case you didn’t get the message: “THIS IS NOT SPECIFIC TO OUR DEPARTMENT, IT APPLIES TO ALL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.” All caps, so you know they meant it!
“Disappointing” “Bah humbug”
We heard from school
bus drivers in the Wallingford Swarthmore School District who got this warning about putting up Christmas decorations or wearing holiday themed clothing on busses. @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/GHbMF7igIu— Chris O’Connell (@CoconnellFox29) December 15, 2023
Now, as you can imagine, this didn’t go over too well when WTXF got a whiff of it and reported on it last week. So the school district insisted that this practically unequivocal memo gave an “unintended” message.
Should school bus drivers and teachers be allowed to use Christmas decorations?
“Friday night, the district clarified their intent and said their initial message was ‘not clear,’” the Philadelphia station reported.
“They went on to say holiday displays are not banned, but all employees should remember to create an ‘inclusive environment,’” it said.
The WTXF segment included absolutely nothing regarding how unclear messaging about an “inclusive environment” could be so totally misconstrued.
Let’s start with the obvious: There was nothing about that memo that was “not clear.” It not only laid out a decisive policy on Christmas decorations, it then laid out IN ALL CAPS who it applied to — EVERYONE, just in case YOU WEREN’T PAYING ATTENTION when the DISTRICT USED ALL CAPS in THE VERY CLEAR MEMO.
The policy became “not clear,” instead, when social media got wind of it and decided that it was “not good.”
What a pathetic school district.
— EdgeOfTown (@callmebuckaroo) December 15, 2023
The inmates are running the asylum😡
— Bob K 🇺🇸 (@EnsPulver1958) December 16, 2023
Horrible. But I’m sure they could host a trans drag party on the bus.
— David Spaventa (@spaventa7) December 15, 2023
And yes, in case you’re wondering, the Wallingford-Swathmore School District does have an eight-page guide to “ensuring equity and nondiscrimination” for “gender expansive & transgender students,” adopted in 2018, but a terse, three-paragraph tell-off to employees who might want to experience some of that “nondiscrimination” in expressing their faith traditions.
So, instead of being grinches who stole the decorations for C*****m*s (don’t say that word within earshot of Wallingford-Swathmore School District bigwigs, otherwise they melt), something they made insanely clear somehow became “not clear,” but a message about an “inclusive environment.” Just not for Christians or anyone else who celebrates the Dec. 25 holiday.
I dunno, still remains pretty clear to these ears. Maybe it’s just me.
