Nashville education blogger TC Weber takes a look at a debate over words in Sumner County – and argues that words matter:
Let’s talk about Sumner County, where a school board meeting turned into a culture war showdown over whether to call the December school break “Winter Break” or “Christmas Break.”
The name had been “Winter Break” for over 30 years—until last year, when the board changed it to “Christmas Break” without public input.
Board member Wade Evans admitted, “We did a bad job as a board because we did not represent everyone.”
Others disagreed. Member Andy Lacy said, “Christmas is Christmas. Why do we have to offend the masses to appease the 1%?”
This is the kind of debate that often gets passed off as minor or symbolic, but it reveals something deeper: who gets to define the public space, and whose identity is centered by default. Language matters—especially in public education, where every student is supposed to feel seen. It’s not just about semantics; it’s about belonging.
