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When I was in high school, (ie, a long long time ago) no. Now, I am not so sure. Then again, I was in Catholic school for all but one year of my education and that one year is all I have to draw on. I remember we had Fiddler on the Roof as the musical but then we had a Christmas concert - and that was unapologetically Christian. It was 1988. I have no idea what is the norm today.
I'm in one of the most "progressive" and PC areas in the world, but even we really don't have anyone doing stupid crap like that. Oh, they may tone down the religious aspects of the holidays and try to be "inclusive", but no one tries to shut down carols and such. I don't think even Joiseyites would be that grinchful.
In Washington (hardly a major part of the Bible Belt), religious songs for school choirs are officially protected under the law. Our local high school choir director loads up the programs with some very overtly Christian stuff.
I've heard of rare instances where schools have pre-emptively wet themselves and decreed that even instrumental versions of religious carols were verboten; can't look it up just now. Most of the time people just get along. It's not like every radio station known to man hasn't been playing carols since November 10th anyway.
Some schools have scrapped the concert idea for this time of year. I asked my nephew who attends a public elementary school here in Pennsylvania, and he said they *might* do one in February.
My aunt is a music teacher and I know she finds it frustrating sometimes--how can you teach some of the most important lessons about music to students when sacred music is "off limits"?
I suspect that there's more fear on the part of the schools than real threat of a parent calling in the ACLU or something.
Then again, I live in the Bible Belt, so maybe I have a different view of things.
I will say when I was in (public) grade school in Ohio in the 70s, we sang some religious carols (the first time I ever heard "How Great My Joy" - an old French carol - was in 5th grade choir). And I attended a private, nominally Episcopal high school, so we even had a Messiah sing. (and no one can say Boo to a private school for doing that).
I agree with Kate - a lot of the truly great music throughout history was sacred music. If it's off limits because we just might offend someone, we're left with less to teach.
The NJ public schools (Elementary) that my daughters have attended in recent years have avoided including 'Christian' Xmas songs in the Holiday Program. They did sing 'Jolly Old St. Nick' , but they altered some of the words. My wife said they made it more PC.
They did however include a Hanukkah and Kwanzaa song along with the usual generic holiday songs.
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