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High School Teacher Forced to Remove Christmas Tree From Classroom and Takes Frustration To Facebook

Ahigh school teacher in Maine took to Facebook to complain about a tradition in her classroom that she was asked to stop. According to the teacher, her school forced her to remove a pink Hello Kitty-themed Christmas tree from her classroom that she has put up for the past 30 years.

Math teacher Catherine Gordon has had a long career at Bangor High School. At the start of the holiday season, she put up her Hello Kitty Christmas only to be emailed by the school principal with an order to remove the tree.

Gordon was informed that the display of the Christmas tree in her classroom constituted the endorsement of one religion over another. Although it is a Christmas tree, Gordon pointed out in a Facebook post that the tree does not contain any kind of iconography.

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“The tree had no religious symbols on it whatsoever. No crosses or angels, just pink Hello Kitties,” she wrote. “I feel that this is definitely a turning point in our society – when everything offends everyone all the time – it just sucks the joy out of everything,” she added.

The superintendent of the school issued a statement after Gordon’s Facebook post went viral citing that the school’s focus is “Educating students to become global citizens with the necessary 21st-century skills for college and career readiness for their future success.” But Gordon has garnered overwhelming support including Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine, who has urged school officials to take a second look at their decision.

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