Are school nativity plays a good idea?

YOU THE JURY Each December thousands of proud parents watch their children perform in the nativity play. But is taking part a rewarding way to understand a Bible story or a waste of time in our secular society?
FACTS AND FIGURES · According to a Times Educational Supplement survey,six in seven schools stage a nativity play. · A quarter of schools do not hold a carol service. · In a survey by the Association of Christian Teachers, 26 per cent of people believed school Christmas celebrations were a source of stress. · 28 per cent of schools hold a multi-faith event.

RUPERT KAYE is the Chief Executive of the Association of Christian Teachers ,a Christian membership organisation that provides professional and spiritual support to Christians involved in all levels of education in England. In particular,it offers support to newly qualified teachers. It also aims to influence policy makers and politicians and actively encourages Christians into education. Association of Christian Teachers,St Albans,Herts AL1 1 NX. Tel:01727 840298. www.christian-teachers.org.uk

"If Christian festivals aren't recognised in schools, what hope is there that non-Christian festivals will be respected?"

One of the vital roles of schooling in Britain is to give young people a broad understanding of other religious communities and equip them to get along with people different from themselves. Children can mark festivals such as Christmas, Diwali and Hanukkah without needing to share the same faith. We must all make an effort to understand other people's beliefs. It's vital to move beyond shallow phrases like 'tolerance' and build a society where joyful acceptance of difference is the norm. Events as simple as a nativity play are one step towards people of all faiths (or none) living happily together. Schools have become very focused on literacy and numeracy, so nativity plays are a breath of fresh air. They help children understand that effort and energy result in the pride of a job well done. They encourage creativity and build self-esteem, which help children achieve more elsewhere.
I don't think most non-Christian faith communities are offended by nativity plays. After all, if Christian festivals aren't recognised in schools, what hope is there that non-Christian festivals will be treated with respect? I think it's more a perception of white, middle-class intellectuals trying to second-guess what Muslim, Jewish or Hindu people might find objectionable.
At a very simple level, the nativity is a wonderful story. It introduces the idea of the giving and receiving of presents and valuing new life. Nativity plays don't force Christian beliefs on people but they do encourage us to appreciate our rich human culture and move towards mutual understanding and trust.

SAM RIMMER is Chair of the Brtish Humanist Association. which supports and represents people who aim to lead good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs. The organisation works for an open and inclusive society with freedom of belief and speech, and campaigns for an end to the privileged position of religion - Christianity in particular - in law,education, broadcasting and elsewhere. British Humanist Association.1 Gower Street. London WC1E 6HD. Tel. 020 7079 3580. www.humanism.org.uk

"A nativity play is indoctrination: asking children to just accept the story without giving them any tools to question it"

Britain is not a Christian country. We might be subjects of a Christian Queen, but Britain's really a mongrel nation with a variety of religions and many people of no religion. The nativity play isn't relevant to the vast majority. We to need to learn about other religions so we can be tolerant, but we need to keep it in proportion. Other religious celebrations in school such as Diwali or Chinese New Year last a couple of days, but preparations for Christmas start in October. Rehearsing the nativity play takes up two precious months of the curriculum. The same tired story is repeated every year and it's not even a nice story: a woman forced to give birth in a dirty stable.

I'd also question why children spend two months learning words by rote to a play that isn't a great literary work and does notting to develop their English or grammar. Children learn a lot from staging plays public speaking, acting, teamwork - but it doesn't have to be religious.

Nativity plays bring in religion through the back door. It's indoctrination of the worst kind: asking children to just accept the story without giving them any tools to question it. Many schools blindly follow the tradition without considering alternatives - it's Christmas so it's nativity play time.

I also think that with the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe, it's wrong to suggest to five year olds that babies are made by twinkling stars.

By not having a nativity play, we're not laying the damaging foundations that pregnancy is someone else's responsibility. There's no valid reason to include a nativity play in school - it's just a bad habit that needs to be broken.