Director Dondelinger asked several very good questions at his inaugural school board meeting.
Among them was one asked of Tim Murtha regarding the approval of changes to the school calendar.
Mr. Dondelinger asked why Christmas and Easter had been replaced by “winter break" and “spring holiday.”
Mr. Murtha responded, in essence, that they were being sensitive toward anyone feeling excluded because not everyone celebrates Christmas. This paper reported on that exchange, with Dondelinger saying America was founded on Christian values, stating we would not be surprised if we were in Saudi Arabia or Israel and Christmas didn’t appear on the calendar. But we are in America.
Mr. Dondelinger’s point is valid: Christmas and Easter are very deeply a part of our culture.
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Yet just moments earlier, during a presentation regarding the 150-year celebration of Brainerd schools, it was pointed out that part of the activities will coincide with Native American Month.
No, not everyone is Christian. But then, not everyone is Native American, either.
Why is it that the woke agenda insists on eliminating or minimizing some aspect of our culture in order to elevate another aspect of it? No one denies that Native Americans are an integral part of our culture in the country. But how is recognizing Christmas being insensitive to some yet recognizing Native American Month is not being insensitive to others?
Dondelinger is also correct that the issue of how we identify things on the school calendar deserves to be revisited by the board.
This topic needs to get back on the board’s agenda and debated before the public.
The last election soundly demonstrated that the public is tired of the squeaky wheel calling all the shots. Let’s demand a return to sensibility and accountability in ISD 181.
Renae Czeczok
Brainerd
The Trust Project
