A principal in an Italian primary school has resigned from his position after being criticised by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi for banning Christmas carols in a concert in order to not offend non-Christian pupils.
Marco Parma, 63, sparked a media outcry when he decided to postpone the Garofani Comprehensive School’s Christmas concert and rebrand it as a ‘winter concert’ devoid of any music of a religious nature. He said that his decision was sparked by the recent attacks in Paris, where 130 people were killed in a series of shootings and suicide bombings across the French capital.
The principal of the school in Rozzano also confirmed to Italian media that he had said no to two mothers who offered to teach Christmas carols to the children during lunchbreaks.
"In a multi-ethnic environment, it causes problems," Parma said, saying his decisions had also been influenced by watching Muslim children in the same concert the year before.
"Last year we had a Christmas concert and some parents insisted on having carols. The Muslim children didn't sing, they just stood there, absolutely rigid.
"It is not nice watching a child not singing, or worse, being called down from the stage by their parents."
But commenting on the incident, the Italian prime minister said he thought the school principal was making “a big mistake.”
"Debate and dialogue does not mean drowning identities in an instinct and insipid form of political correctness,” Renzi said.
"All Italians, both non-religious and Christians, will never give up Christmas."
The principal also found that he had little support from the parents of Muslim pupils ar his school. Mahmoud El Kheir, who is originally from Egypt, said: "Who are us Muslims to say what can happen at an Italian school? We are guests in this country. I hope the public understand that the decision was not made because of a request by Muslim parents."
Laila Magar, El Kheir’s wife said that their twins, Fatma and Yassin, had taken part in Christmas celebrations at the school and sang "traditional Catholic songs" with the other children.
"Why create a problem that doesn’t exist?" she said.
