Holiday icon removed at law school

The IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis School of Law is going to have to find someplace else to put its Christmas presents.\nThe law school is recovering from a flap regarding a Christmas tree in the atrium of its building. The school removed the tree because of student complaints and has since received national attention.\nThe School of Law put an artificial Christmas tree in the atrium of the School of Law building at IUPUI the day before Thanksgiving and decorated the tree with folded fans made of maps of the world, lights and ornaments resembling world globes.\nRich Schneider, director of media relations for IUPUI, said several students contacted Dean Anthony Tarr and said the tree made them feel excluded.\n"The dean sees the students, faculty and staff as a family, and it bothered him that it bothered some members of that family," Schneider said. "He didn't want to offend anyone."\nIUPUI removed the tree Tuesday and replaced it with a neutral winter scene, inspired by Courier and Ives. The new scene contains artificial snow, a red sleigh and two artificial pine trees decorated only with lights. Schneider said while the previous decorations were chosen to convey "diversity and the identification of peoples everywhere," the neutral scene is better suited to a public environment, such as the atrium of the building.\nSchneider said this year's decision would likely influence next year's decorating plans. \n"We'll keep it in mind when we make decisions next year," he said.\nFirst-year law student Josh Claybourn said he believes the problem lies with the administration's handling of the situation.\n"I can understand how a reasonable person may object, but I think it was poor judgment on the administration's part to take it down like they did," Claybourn said. "It caused a lot of unnecessary angst."\nIUPUI Associate Professor of Law Jennifer Drobac said while the school legally could have left the tree in place, Tarr made the right decision.\n"Dean Tarr acted thoughtfully," Drobac said in a statement. "Because ours is a state school and, to a great degree, a majoritarian society, Dean Tarr quietly replaced the Christmas tree rather than further discomfort those non-Christians who felt excluded. Under Supreme Court precedent, the tree could remain, but we are a moral community as well as a legal one, an inclusive society. Dean Tarr gave life to the concept of equal protection, as well as to the First Amendment. I agree with the prophet who said, 'Blessed are the peacemakers.' I hope we can now rejoice in our peace and new understanding."\nThird-year law student Lawren Mills said she can understand the desire to be inclusive, but wants the tree to be replaced.\n"I can see both sides," Mills said. "The problem was that no one was notified about it."\nMills also questioned the difference between this year's tree and decorations of years past.\n"Why was it taken away this year?" Mills said. "A lot of students are debating whether or not it's a Christian symbol, but the roots had nothing previously to do with Christmas. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a Christmas tree alone is not a religious symbol. There are a lot of contradictions and students just want answers."\n-- Contact staff writer Kehla West at krwest@indiana.edu.