School Principal Deems Candy Canes ‘Not Acceptable’ and Bans Them
Yes, this one seems like we are taking 'offensive' to an obscene level but some common sense actually prevails in this situations.
At first glance you are probably thinking the world is going crazy. According to a New York Post story, a Principal Jennifer Sinclair at Manchester Elementary School in Nebraska actually banned candy canes from her school because they are shaped like a 'J' because it stands for Jesus. She discouraged her teachers from using all Christmas themed ornaments (Including Santa!), and felt the candy canes fell under that umbrella. According to the report the principal also said the red in the candy canes symbolized the blood of Christ and the white his resurrection.
Now, I had never heard of these symbols built in to the candy cane, but apparently they are legitimate - although a little different according to Spangler Candy. They say the white represents '..the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus.'
Apparently the school did not agree with the ban and put Sinclair on administrative leave for creating her own guidelines that were not aligned with school policy. The Post story says the school views Christmas ornaments and decorations as 'seasonal symbols' and good learning tools.
Looks like common sense prevailed here and candy canes are still allowed st Sinclair. And has the world gotten so crazy where symbols of peace, giving and celebration can make others uncomfortable? Offensive is one thing, but when it comes to personal beliefs that are positive - maybe we could become more united as a country by celebrating and learning about each other's belief systems? Maybe in the long run that would make everyone MORE comfortable with each other.