Merry Christmas Bill Will Legalize Celebrating Traditional Holidays in the Schools, State Rep Says

EAST GREENWICH, RI—House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan (R-District 26 Coventry, Warwick, West Warwick) has at least one New Year resolution in the bank. In January, she will introduce legislation, giving the legal freedom to Rhode Island teachers to say, “Merry Christmas” to students during school time.

It will be good for "Happy Hannukah," too, she said.

The bill would apply strictly to the schools, she said. She does not anticipate a lot of opposition on Smith Hill to the "Merry Christmas" bill, she said, in spite of criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union.

Other sponsors, all members of the House Minority Caucus, are Reps. Anthony Giarrusso (R-District 30 East Greenwich, West Greenwich), Sherry Roberts (R-District 29 Coventry, West Greenwich), Justin Price (R-District 39 Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond), and Robert A. Nardolillo III. (R-District 28 Coventry).

"We're not giving teachers the right to teach religion," she said in an interview with the Patch. The bill "relates to a school district’s recognition of and education regarding traditional winter celebrations, and will allow school districts across the state of Rhode Island to educate students about the history of traditional winter celebrations, and allow students and district staff to offer traditional greetings regarding the celebrations, including ‘Merry Christmas’, ‘Happy Hanukkah’ and ‘happy holidays,'" she said.

"We've always been a melting pot in the U.S.," she said. "People come here from other countries and learn our cultures." That doesn't mean they have to adopt them, she said. "But it's good for us to acknowledge that cultural component of our society."

Morgan’s law is modeled after a similar state law in Texas, she said. The Merry Christmas Law passed the Texas Legislature and was signed into law in 2013. Texas’ law guarantees the freedom of the state’s children, teachers, parents, and school administrators to acknowledge Christmas on school grounds without fear of censorship, prosecution or litigation.

She maintains some schools and individual teachers do not mention Christmas or Hanukkah for fear of legal action.

"Recently, a Texas school principal forced a staffer to take Charlie Brown Christmas decorations off a school door because it included a quote from Linus which had the word 'Christ' in it," she said.

"The principal reportedly said it was “an issue of separation of church and state.” The Texas Attorney General called the action “an attack on religious liberty and a violation of the First Amendment and state law.” Thanks to Texas’ new law, the teacher was free from prosecution."

“Christmas is a part of the very fabric of this country. The traditions that are passed down from generation to generation enrich and inform our culture. They form a basis for our ‘melting pot’ and are another piece that binds our country together. No school teacher or staff member should risk censure for teaching about those holiday traditions.” stated Morgan.

She also said the holiday celebrations have educational value. School shouldn't be all about reading and writing, she said.

"School has a lot of components," she said. "One of them is socialization."

The bill will also allow school districts to display scenes or symbols associated with traditional winter celebrations, on school property, including a Christmas image such as a Christmas tree or nativity scene, or a menorah.

Morgan said, “The goal here is to give everyone the freedom they deserve to say ‘Merry Christmas’ but not to encourage adherence to any particular religious belief.”

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