To the editor:

Truth is that which corresponds to reality. The truth is that the real meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Hence, the “Christ” in the word Christmas.

I praise Mr. Childress for caring enough about children to tell them the truth. He is also correct to explain to the children that there are consequences, sometimes serious, for those who smoke, drink and do illegal drugs. Since when was this not a welcome message in schools?

I encourage school board members and administrators in the Baldwin school district to not bow to the pressure of a few who hide behind the guise of tolerance all the while not being tolerant to those, such as Mr. Childress, who are simply proclaiming the facts.

If Baldwin patrons want to embrace tolerance as the highest virtue then they have lost the right to rebel against anything. As G.K. Chesterton once said, “Don’t ever take a fence down until you know the reason why it was put up.”

Randall Birtell,

Scranton