Parents are furious after a school banned Christmas references from their festive panto to be “inclusive”.
A letter was sent to the parents of 126 children at Wherwell Primary School in Andover, Hampshire, regarding a production of Jack and the Beanstalk being put on in December.
Headteacher Mandy Ovenden said in the letter that the pantomime would not feature any references to Christmas, leading to anger among parents.
One told the Mail: “This shouldn’t be allowed. Christmas is celebrated all over the UK and the world, and you just can’t eradicate it so a few people will not be offended. A pantomime is only ever held at Christmas, but it’s crazy that there can be no mention of the word.”
Another said: “The head is wrong pandering to the whim of a small minority of parents. She or the panto company should have said ‘no’. You cannot eradicate our history and culture.”
A follow-up letter was sent explaining the school’s decision, saying that Christmas would not be mentioned to be “inclusive” for children of all faiths.
It said: “Discussion with the panto company revealed that Christmas songs were included in the performance.
“We have a number of families who either do not celebrate Christmas or do so in a different way. The children of these families are removed from events such as this, at the request of their parents.
“As this is not a Christmas event, but a pantomime, it can be enjoyed by everyone with the changes we have requested.
“We are keen that ALL of our children should enjoy the pantomime and for it to be a fully inclusive event, have removed Christmas songs from the production.
“Children will continue to enjoy our usual Christmas events as we progress through the remainder of this term.”
Wherwell Primary School emphasises that it follows British values – the rule of law, democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths.
It says by following these children attending the school will develop “an understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law”.
It also maintains this will lead to “an acceptance that people having different faiths and beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated and should not be the cause of discriminatory behaviour”.
A Wherwell Primary School spokesperson said: “We are very excited to be able to treat our pupils to a fully inclusive pantomime this year.
“As we do every year, we are also running a range of Christmas celebrations across the remainder of the term, ensuring that overall our planned schedule of events is well-balanced and reflects our whole school community.”
A spokesman for Chaplins Pantos, the group putting on the show at the Andover school, said they usually include references to Christmas in their shows – but were asked by Wherwell Primary School to remove them.
A spokesman said: “We don’t always mention Santa Claus, but there would usually include a Christmas song and there would be reference to Christmas. On this occasion the school asked us not to include any reference.”
