Protests Outside School!

Protests erupted outside a primary school after the Head Teacher sent a letter to parents saying "Easter celebrations would not be going ahead". The letter continued to "respect diverse beliefs".

Around 50 Christian parents protested outside the school. The school is Norwood Primary School in Eastleigh, Hampshire. The protesters argued with school staff members. Protesters said they were there to stop the "erosion of Christianity". Others held banners with one saying, "Headteacher Stephanie Mander wants to cancel Easter. Let's cancel her"!

Other protesters held England flags with words like "Christ is King" and "Jesus is the way, the truth, the life". Norwood School has no religious affiliation. Norwood School has since clarified that Easter celebrations will be going ahead. Whether it was pressure from the protesters cannot be said. However, it's strange how the school suddenly had an about-face. The school said the children will learn the religious significance of Easter.

Many Christian protesters were from The Living Word Church in Fareham, Hampshire. Reverend Chris Wickland stated that the protest was in response to schools cancelling Easter. The Rev. claimed the protesters were not there "to cause trouble". 10 counter-protesters were there defending the Headteacher and Norwood School. A reporter from The Telegraph spoke to a counterprotester called Iqra. She said, "None of the people have children at the school. I am upset that the children are upset (by the protesters). It's not necessary". Another counterprotester said the Headteacher was a good person. And that she had "dragged the school out of the gutter".

The school is multireligious and multicultural, so the Headteacher decided to cancel Easter celebrations. So as not to offend others who were non-Christian. Many of the UK's schools are like this. The question has to be asked: Does the school celebrate non-Christian festivals? If so, then the school is hypocritical. If, on the other hand, the school doesn't allow other religious fests, then that is fair. As the school is not religiously affiliated with any faith. Though it could be argued that the UK was and is still regarded as a Christian country. Therefore, Christian themes should dominate. Others would argue the UK is post-Christian now. And so Christianity is but one of many faiths now. Secularism is the society of today. But it does seem Ramadan is celebrated more than Lent. Whether that is a correct perception or not, who knows? It seems in some places Christianity is on the decline, with church attendance at rock bottom. Fewer people are claiming to be Christian. While others in censuses claim to be of no faith at all.

Despite all of this, the church is still a force in the UK, and there are still Christians. At the end of the day, a school can have the choice of having no religious affiliation. There are many schools that are secular that are obviously thriving. There are probably schools affiliated with the Anglican or Catholic Church that are failing. And I'm sure the other way round is true, also. There are Muslim schools now, and also Jewish schools. Their success rate or failure rate is governed, no doubt, by what drives the success or failure rates of Christian or secular schools.

Children spend an awful lot of time at school. What they are taught and how they are influenced matters. Schools pick up the pieces of failing children because they have failing homes. Schools are being called on to do jobs that parents and communities, and yes, even the church, used to do. This creates a crisis atmosphere where many schools are struggling to pay for repairs.

Christians