Metro Weekly

Teacher decked by criticism after changing ‘gay’ Christmas lyric

“We are so very sorry this happened. The teacher made a poor decision and it should have never happened.”

Jane Mohr, the Assistant Superintendant for Traverse City, Michigan schools (TCAPS). She was responding to critics of an elementary school’s music teacher who decided to change a word in the popular Christmas carol “Deck the Halls.” A reference to “gay apparel” was changed to “bright apparel.” (UpNorthLive.com)

The school principal, Chris Parker, told WPBN-TV that the song had been altered allegedly because of reaction by students, and that the situation should have been handled better:

“There was some students that had been snickering… and she had attempted to get them back on track quite a few times and just decided to make a change in the wording…. We have an anti-bullying and discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation… so, going forward the teacher would be addressing, ‘This is how we’re supposed to be reacting. This is the way we to be respectful about this.'”

AP reports that “gay apparel” will be the lyrics that the students will sing.

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