Some families express concern over Chesapeake school including religious songs in chorus concert
CHESAPEAKE — Some families are concerned about a concert Monday evening at Western Branch High School because it included religious songs.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter Oct. 10 to the superintendent on behalf of a resident who learned about the music from a student and sent in a complaint asking the division to remove the songs from the program. The concert was for three division schools, including Western Branch Middle School.
“The District’s choir program must focus on teaching secular music rather than religious or devotional music that asks students to engage in religious worship and praise,” states the letter. “There is a wide array of high quality and pedagogically valuable choral music available for public schools to teach students.”
The letter also claims that teaching students “Christian worship music in a devotional manner” violates the First Amendment, and states that public schools may not show favoritism toward religion.
The complainant, the letter states, said the concert included multiple religious songs, including “Praise His Holy Name,” by Keith Hampton. Among the lyrics is the line, “Jesus, Jesus, how I love Thee! Shout Hallelujah! Praise His Holy name.”
Division spokesman Chris Vail said the concert included selections of varying genres.
“During the performance, the choral directors introduced each selection with the rationale for the inclusion of each song in the performance and explained the instructional significance of each selection,” he said.
Vail also said students were permitted to opt out of any song for religious reasons, and would not be penalized.
Faith Griffin, a guardian of a Western Branch Middle School student, said she reached out to the principal and spoke to the division’s chief academic officer. She said her student does not identify as a Christian. Griffin said she was told her student could leave the stage during the performance of the songs.
However, she believes the option puts the burden on her student.
They’re saying “You can either sing songs that you don’t agree with, or you can stand offstage and watch your classmates sing, or not attend,” Griffin said in a phone interview. “For middle school, these kids have a hard time as it is trying to fit in and not become a target. This is forcing them to choose between their religious beliefs or become a target.”
Griffin said a non-religious song was added to the lineup after she pointed out that two of the three songs her student’s school was to perform were religious in nature.
Vail quoted the National Association for Music Education as saying, “The study and performance of religious music within an educational context is a vital and appropriate part of a comprehensive music education.”
“While several court cases cited by the National Association for Music Education permit the inclusion of religious songs in public school performances, Chesapeake Public Schools staff and administration recognize the importance of respecting the religious viewpoints of others and we respect a student’s right to refrain from participating in a performance for religious reasons,” he said.
The division does not have a written policy about musical performances.
Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com
