
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, December 19, 1994                   TAG: 9412200047
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                                LENGTH: Short

SCHOOL PROHIBITS READING OF POEM MENTIONING JESUS

School officials refused to let a student read a poem that mentioned Jesus at a recent winter pageant to keep the pageant as secular as possible.

Renee Hannas said administrators at G.A. Treakle Elementary School went overboard when they told her son, Andrew, he couldn't read a poem written by her that focused on Jesus, homeless and hungry people, and keeping kids off the street.

The school's principal said she was just following procedures.

``I try to understand other points of view, and I did sit back and think, `Well, what if I was Jewish? Would I have been offended?''' Renee Hannas said. ``I don't think so, but I am offended that we can't mention the real reason for Christmas ... Christmas is about Christ.''

School principal Diane G. Martin said the poem was not allowed because it was submitted at the last minute and could not be approved properly.

``It's never been our policy to use things solicited from parents at the last minute,'' Martin said. ``I follow procedure, and the procedure would have been to have the program chairperson come to me for any changes to the [holiday program] agenda that was set in August.''

Officials avoided using the word ``Christmas'' in the title of their PTA's ``Winter Fantasy.''

by CNB