Christmas banned by PC college chiefs
CHRISTMAS and Easter have been scrubbed from a college’s calendars in case they offend non-Christians.
Holidays at these times will now be referred to simply as “end of term breaks”.
The move will “increase inclusion and diversity”, claim bosses at Yorkshire Coast College in Scarborough, North Yorks. They claim this is in line with Ofsted guidelines.
But Ofsted has confirmed there are no such guidelines: "Ofsted inspection guidance for colleges makes no reference whatsoever to the observance of religious festivals," a spokeswoman said.
"It is therefore incorrect that any decision to 'ban religious holidays' would be based on Ofsted guidance."
And politicians and religious groups branded the ruling “beyond barmy”. Robert Goodwill, Tory MP for Scarborough, said: “This is absolutely bonkers. We are a Christian country and religious tolerance is about respecting other people’s religious beliefs.
It’s political correctness gone mad
“There are people who are petrified that they offend the minority but what they are actually doing is offending the majority. It’s political correctness gone mad.”
Sid Cordle of the Christian Peoples Alliance said: “The idea is ludicrous and totally wrong. We now seem to be going down a route that because we need to protect the rights of minorities, we are going to oppress the majority.”
The further education college, which has 3,900 full and part-time pupils, offers mostly vocational courses. Ex-pupils include Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow and the late Addicted To Love singer Robert Palmer.
After a damning Ofsted inspection last year most senior managers were replaced.
Race relations was one of the few areas to avoid criticism during the inspection. But the new bosses, headed by principal Carole Kitching, have circulated an internal year planner to 200 staff with the words Christmas and Easter erased.
A spokeswoman said: “All employees are encouraged to closely follow guidelines set out by Ofsted for the promotion of equality and diversity. We constantly review the ways we communicate to ensure we do not discriminate.”
Last night Ms Kitching said pupils would still be celebrating Christmas. She insisted: “There has been no big plan to ban the word Christmas.”
