UK school under fire for cutting Christmas references from holiday show

A school in the United Kingdom is facing criticism for removing Christmas from its traditional holiday show.

The controversy erupted after Mandy Ovenden, headteacher of Wherwell Primary School in Hampshire, England, informed parents she had required a visiting theater troupe to remove all references to Christmas from its Christmas pantomime.

“We are very excited to share that on Thursday 5th December, at 10am, we are being visited by Chaplins Pantos who will treat us to a performance of Jack and the Beanstalk,” began Ovenden’s letter. “We have requested that the show contain no reference to Christmas.”

Ovenden’s original notice received widespread negative responses from parents who felt banning Christmas was unnecessary. In response to the immediate backlash, Ovenden sent an additional letter attempting to explain her intentions.

“Discussion with the panto company revealed that Christmas songs were included in the performance,” she stated, adding, “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.” 

The letter later stated Ovenden’s desire for the production to be a “fully inclusive event” led to the decision to remove references to Christmas. 

Some local parents, however, remain unsatisfied with pinning the blame on “inclusivity.” 

“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,” one disgruntled parent told the Daily Mail. “A pantomime is only ever held at Christmas, but it’s crazy that there can be no mention of the word.” 

Based on a statement from a school spokesperson to news outlets, the headteacher has no intention of backing down from her stance. 

“We are very excited to be able to treat our pupils to a fully inclusive pantomime this year,” the school stated. “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.” 

Pantomime is a traditional British form of theater that incorporates elements of absurdity and comedy to tell a fairytale or children’s story, such as Jack and the Beanstalk. According to a resource on pantomime from the University of York, “Christmas, for many of us, would not be Christmas without pantomime; and pantomime was the place we first discovered the magic of theatre.” 

Notably, the school’s website points visitors to upcoming Christmas-related events on the calendar, including nativities, a carol service, and a Christmas meal.