Santa Claus is back at PS 169 in Sunset Park and so is Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid And Donner and Blitzen – as long as they don’t bring any religion into the mix.
That after the Department of Education handed down a new edict to PS 169 Principal Eujin Jaela Kim that allows the use of Santa Claus as a holiday symbol as long as it is carried out only with secular dimensions.
The news set of guidelines handed down to public schools comes after the New York Post reported Sunday that Kim banned Santa Claus from the school as well as reciting The Pledge of Allegiance, and replaced Thanksgiving with a “Harvest Festival” and Christmas parties with “winter celebrations.”
The move drew immediate condemnation from Sunset Park Assemblyman and Assistant Speaker Felix Ortiz, who fired off a letter to Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina asking for a clarification on how the city’s public schools are allowed to celebrate the winter holidays.
“While we carefully maintain a distance from religious observances in public institutions, we are able to celebrate holidays with visits by Santa Claus, menorah displays, singing carols and other similar festivities. Our courts have long recognized these social icons as part of our culture,” wrote Ortiz. “Let’s make sure that our students, parents and teachers are able to bring “joy to the world” during this special time of year.”
According to a DOE spokesperson the situation at PS 169 occurred due to the school misinterpreting guidance for holiday displays sent to all schools, interpreting that Santa Claus could not be used as a holiday symbol with secular dimensions in holiday displays.
A DOE source said school classrooms recite the Pledge of Allegiance and the Pledge is recited at major school events. In response to concerns from the school community, the Pledge will now be recited over the PA system every morning. The school has in no way disallowed celebration of Thanksgiving, said the source.
The new guidelines sent to the school are as follows:
Guidelines for Holiday Displays
Please be aware of and sensitive to the significance of seasonal observances and religious holidays as you work to foster mutual understanding and respect for your community’s diverse religious, racial, ethnic, and cultural heritages. Public schools may not endorse or promote a particular religion or belief system. As we head into the holiday season, please share these guidelines regarding the display of cultural and holiday symbols with your staff:
- The primary purpose of any displays should be to promote understanding and respect for the rights of all individuals regarding their beliefs, values, and customs.
- The display of holiday symbol decorations with secular dimensions is permitted. Permitted symbols include, but are not limited to, Christmas trees, kinaras, dreidels, menorahs, and the Star and Crescent. Displays that depict images of deities, other religious figures, or religious texts are prohibited.
- Holiday displays must not appear to promote or celebrate any single religion or holiday; therefore, any permitted symbol or decoration must be displayed simultaneously with other symbols or decorations that reflect different beliefs or customs.
- All holiday displays should be temporary in nature.
“We work to foster inclusive communities in our schools that welcome students and families, and celebrate the diverse values and traditions of all New Yorkers. This principal continues to work closely with her school community to ensure PS 169 is an inclusive school, meet students’ and families’ needs, and celebrate the values that make her community and New York City great,” said DOE spokesperson Devora Kaye.
