What is Christmas without Jesus Christ? This is exactly what parents are saying after head teacher Paola Bellini told his students to remove "Jesus Christ" from well-loved Christmas songs.
In one of the songs, Bellini asked them to change the lyrics from "because Jesus was born" into "because this party is for you," according to the Express.
Parents were outraged by the school's decision to omit Jesus from Christmas songs, saying His name is intended to promote brotherhood and unity, not division and censorship.
A priest in Pontevico, a small town in the province of Brescia, was among those who spoke out against the decision, saying, "Foreigners are welcome to know our culture, which we must not deny because it does not offend anyone."
However, Bellini defended her decision and even claimed that parents are intentionally missing the whole point of inclusivity just to push their political beliefs. "Adults are exploiting a show of children. They are vilifying what was supposed to be a song of joy," she argued.
Bellini said she will not change her decision to alter the lyrics of the songs, adding that the stage performance of the children should be viewed for what it truly is — a positive thing.
"Children will sing songs that evoke universal themes of peace and solidarity. Thirty percent of our students are not Catholic and this concert is open to all," she said. "It is not a show made for Christians only. It's a matter of respect."
Even inside the classroom, Bellini said she has strived to be fair and welcoming to children who practice different religions. "In our classrooms there are so many crucifixes and paintings depicting the Madonna, but in addition to these symbols, there must be others," she said.
Their school is founded on the basis of multiculturalism, she added, so they should not discriminate against other religions even if it is Christmas. "Other institutions are the ones that need to promote the values of the Catholic religion. Pope Francis preaches openness. These Catholic fundamentalists amaze me," she said.
