FaithWire – Parents are speaking out after their children were told to sing ‘baby boy Jesus’ rather than ‘Lord Jesus’ in the Christmas carol ‘Away in a Manger.’ According to the Christian Concern, headteacher Zakia Khatun at East London’s Whitehall Primary School told students that the change was necessary so that “all pupils can participate in the celebration.”One parent named Margarita said, “I picked my children up at the end of the day and they were so upset, saying to me, ‘Mummy, today in assembly the headteacher told everybody that she would be changing the words to the Christmas song.’
I was so shocked. As a family, we go to church, pray together and celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus as the Son of God.”During a meeting with parents, Khatun said that the school is inclusive of all children and claimed that 60 students did not attend last years’ service because of their religious beliefs. Despite concerns from parents, the school followed through with change and the service will take place at a local church on Dec. 17. Margarita argued that parents had not been properly informed and the decision to alter the song would not solve the problem of inclusion – rather it would lead to exclusion. READ MORE
