Halloween SICK OUT

[Anonymous]

I used to teach in CA and I had Jehovah's Witness families who complained about Halloween and also about reading Harry Potter. Their kids got to opt out. I wonder if some families sued MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but I find it very difficult to believe. If parents feel they want Halloween, then the PTAs should be working to bring those concerns to the Principals.

My kid's school is very diverse and no one has attacked Halloween.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Name the schools! I don't believe you.

Rock Creek forest, Rock view, Oakland terrace, highland, rosemary hills, woodlin, takoma, ESS, highland view, sligo creek, glen haven...

Then why aren't the parents organizing?

[Anonymous]

The decision was made by cluster. I teach in a cluster that does not allow any Halloween celebrations. My kids attend a different cluster and had parades, parties etc. It's strange to me how they made the decision, but that's what MCPS is doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which MCPS school is not celebrating Halloween? Our elementary has a parade every year. Middle and high school teachers sometimes hand out candy and include Halloween themes in the day's activities, but not always.

But the reality, OP, is that Halloween starts AT DUSK on the Oct 31st. The original, Celtic belief is that the spirit world and the human world are so close that night, that people and spirits can cross over. Which is why you have ghosts and goblins walking about, which is why humans disguise themselves, both to evade malicious attacks and to prank other humans.

So you really don't have a leg to stand on, because Halloween isn't happening during the day.

Oh wow, many many elementaries do not allow it, including mine. I’m not the OP. We’re discouraged from even reading any books aloud about it.

Why would you be discourage about reading books about it? If that’s the case we wouldn’t be able to read books about any other holiday, event or cultural thing. Discouraging reading books about it is a step too far. That’s not the same as celebrating.

[Anonymous]

Years ago we had fall festival. Kids could dress up or not. Kids could opt out and go to the library.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your school refuses to celebrate Halloween because students in the school believe it's a satanic holiday, then I say we should call a massive sick out, tomorrow and every year that our culture is being blatantly disrespected and remains undefended. We bend over backwards to make sure MCPS is all about inclusion yet when our own culture is wrongly accused of satanism we just say, "You're entitled to your opinion" instead of educating them that NO, Halloween is NOT about satanism. Why is that okay?

Halloween is a part of American culture. It is NOT satanic. As an employee of MCPS I'm not even allowed to wear so much as a Dr Seuss hat to celebrate my own cultural tradition. That is BS. I'm calling in sick in revolt!! Please join me!

Whoever "we" is here, it does not include me.

-person who was born in the US, grew up in the US, and attended and graduated from public school in the US

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which MCPS school is not celebrating Halloween? Our elementary has a parade every year. Middle and high school teachers sometimes hand out candy and include Halloween themes in the day's activities, but not always.

But the reality, OP, is that Halloween starts AT DUSK on the Oct 31st. The original, Celtic belief is that the spirit world and the human world are so close that night, that people and spirits can cross over. Which is why you have ghosts and goblins walking about, which is why humans disguise themselves, both to evade malicious attacks and to prank other humans.

So you really don't have a leg to stand on, because Halloween isn't happening during the day.

Oh wow, many many elementaries do not allow it, including mine. I’m not the OP. We’re discouraged from even reading any books aloud about it.

Same at my kid’s ES. We are at Barnsley. Teachers are not supposed to read books about it. Kids cannot dress up. No class parties. Definitely no Halloween parade. I think they used to let the PTA do a celebration on weekends, but eliminated that also. Now there is a ‘fall festival’.

I am an immigrant and grew up thinking that American Halloween was super cool and fun! Bummed that it can’t be celebrated at school anymore. And agree that it IS part of the American culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your school refuses to celebrate Halloween because students in the school believe it's a satanic holiday, then I say we should call a massive sick out, tomorrow and every year that our culture is being blatantly disrespected and remains undefended. We bend over backwards to make sure MCPS is all about inclusion yet when our own culture is wrongly accused of satanism we just say, "You're entitled to your opinion" instead of educating them that NO, Halloween is NOT about satanism. Why is that okay?

Halloween is a part of American culture. It is NOT satanic. As an employee of MCPS I'm not even allowed to wear so much as a Dr Seuss hat to celebrate my own cultural tradition. That is BS. I'm calling in sick in revolt!! Please join me!

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1100438.page#23966431

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your school refuses to celebrate Halloween because students in the school believe it's a satanic holiday, then I say we should call a massive sick out, tomorrow and every year that our culture is being blatantly disrespected and remains undefended. We bend over backwards to make sure MCPS is all about inclusion yet when our own culture is wrongly accused of satanism we just say, "You're entitled to your opinion" instead of educating them that NO, Halloween is NOT about satanism. Why is that okay?

Halloween is a part of American culture. It is NOT satanic. As an employee of MCPS I'm not even allowed to wear so much as a Dr Seuss hat to celebrate my own cultural tradition. That is BS. I'm calling in sick in revolt!! Please join me!

Just celebrate at home in the evening like most folks do?
Fellow school employee and parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Name the schools! I don't believe you.

Rock Creek forest, Rock view, Oakland terrace, highland, rosemary hills, woodlin, takoma, ESS, highland view, sligo creek, glen haven...

Then why aren't the parents organizing?

Goodness. Takoma Park the city has a big costume contest parade. Your kids will be fine and can trick or treat in their neighborhood. It’s not like they can’t celebrate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Halloween is in the evening.
Yes it’s cultural but has nothing to do with education.
Keep them separate.

That's not the tradition. In our culture we dress up for school, kids and teachers. We have parades and parties. That's American culture.

I’m 46 - we did not dress up at school and if there was a Halloween party during the day I don’t remember it. The American Halloween experience is trick or treating in the evening. It’s distracting during the school day and so many kids are left out for so many reasons.

I’m 45 and we definitely had parties and parades at school. I also teach elementary in MCPS and we had the same until a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your school refuses to celebrate Halloween because students in the school believe it's a satanic holiday, then I say we should call a massive sick out, tomorrow and every year that our culture is being blatantly disrespected and remains undefended. We bend over backwards to make sure MCPS is all about inclusion yet when our own culture is wrongly accused of satanism we just say, "You're entitled to your opinion" instead of educating them that NO, Halloween is NOT about satanism. Why is that okay?

Halloween is a part of American culture. It is NOT satanic. As an employee of MCPS I'm not even allowed to wear so much as a Dr Seuss hat to celebrate my own cultural tradition. That is BS. I'm calling in sick in revolt!! Please join me!

And some teachers are not coming in because they do celebrate the day in school. Sooo much time getting in and out of costumes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Halloween is in the evening.
Yes it’s cultural but has nothing to do with education.
Keep them separate.

That's not the tradition. In our culture we dress up for school, kids and teachers. We have parades and parties. That's American culture.

I suspect the election is going to upset the people who think American culture should come second and tertiary to every other culture.
People are so tired of them stamping out every last piece of our amazing culture.
Yes! We celebrate Halloween at school with parties, dress ups and parades!

It's one of the last bits of fun we had.

Anyone whining about school being only for academics might ask why ap much of the school curriculum is geared toward political agenda pieces instead of academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Halloween is in the evening.
Yes it’s cultural but has nothing to do with education.
Keep them separate.

That's not the tradition. In our culture we dress up for school, kids and teachers. We have parades and parties. That's American culture.

I grew up in the US attending public schools in the 80s and 90s. We never dressed up for Halloween at school nor did we we have a Halloween parade or party at school. We did have a Christmas program (assembly) and Christmas party at our public school though 😆

Anyway, it does sound fun to have a party or parade at school and to dress up but it wouldn’t really be a school day with any actual school work getting done. it would be chaotic and disruptive for teachers and students who don’t have costumes would feel left out.