Do they have Halloween parties at Oakland Terrace ES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know what? Adults are just the damn worst. Thanks for the lecture above on the origins of Halloween. Halloween as it is celebrated in the US is about dressing up, trick or treating, and having fun. No one who isn't already a total weirdo all the time worships the devil on that day. No one is celebrating the devil's birthday. It isn't celebrated as a religious holiday. Just let the kids have their fun. Just stop over thinking everything and raining on all the kids parades!

That's really not it. I work at a school that has fall festival parties instead of Halloween parties. No costumes. We used to have Halloween parties and an alternate activity in the media center, but data collected over a number of years showed a high absence rate on that day and the alternate activity was well attended by the kids who did come to school on that day. At that point it didn't make sense for students to miss the entire day for a one hour party, since many students being kept home were ones who really needed to be in school.

Even with it being clear that it's a fall festival party, not a Halloween party, we still have students absent on that day because parents are concerned that the party will be at all related to Halloween. Kids will outright tell us that Halloween is the devil's birthday, because that's what their parents have taught them. It is what it is. They believe what they believe.

My kids' school could easily be one of the ones under discussion, and I'll admit being a tiny bit disappointed when I found out there wouldn't be a Halloween celebration at school, since my kids always take great care in selecting their costumes. But...yeah, I'm not going to contribute to creating a hostile environment for religious minorities by making a big fuss about it. We get the costumes so the kids have time to wear them to the zoo, neighborhood events, and trick-or-treating. We see a lot of their classmates in the neighborhood, including those who come from nearby apartment complexes to go door-to-door in the SFH neighborhood. It's fine. Really.

But halloween isn't a religious holiday.

And public schools don't observe religious holidays (or religious anything) at school.

I thought we were supposed to embrace diversity and celebrate multiculturalism? My very catholic kids go to a Jewish preschool. They celebrate Shabbat every Friday at school. They sing hebrew songs and know the blessings. They wear costumes for Purim. They think it's neat. It doesn't impact their religious beliefs, nor does it offend them (or me).

The difference is you are choose to go to a Jewish school knowing that they would be exposed to Judaism. Others choose public or non-religious privates expecting that religion is not taught. You are religious so you are ok with some of it. My children do not practice any religion so I am not ok with someone talking about God and Heaven and other things.

Its now not a religious holiday but it has religious origins and that is where the issue is.

Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

[Anonymous]

I think people are under the misapprehension that halloween has religious connotations. It simply doesn't. And if you call it a fall festival, then it's not halloween.

The Jewish holiday of Purim entails costumes and treats...and nobody confuses it with halloween.

Dirty little secret: the real reason it is banned at some schools is because a clique of moms with eating disorders strong armed the principal into doing away with it (too much sugar, not healthy, isn't it offensive to people who don't celebrate it?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people are under the misapprehension that halloween has religious connotations. It simply doesn't. And if you call it a fall festival, then it's not halloween.

The Jewish holiday of Purim entails costumes and treats...and nobody confuses it with halloween.

Dirty little secret: the real reason it is banned at some schools is because a clique of moms with eating disorders strong armed the principal into doing away with it[b] (too much sugar, not healthy, isn't it offensive to people who don't celebrate it?).

That might be the case at some of the down county schools, but we're at a Focus School in Silver Spring, and I really don't think that was it. There has been no Halloween celebration since we started at the school, several years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know what? Adults are just the damn worst. Thanks for the lecture above on the origins of Halloween. Halloween as it is celebrated in the US is about dressing up, trick or treating, and having fun. No one who isn't already a total weirdo all the time worships the devil on that day. No one is celebrating the devil's birthday. It isn't celebrated as a religious holiday. Just let the kids have their fun. Just stop over thinking everything and raining on all the kids parades!

That's really not it. I work at a school that has fall festival parties instead of Halloween parties. No costumes. We used to have Halloween parties and an alternate activity in the media center, but data collected over a number of years showed a high absence rate on that day and the alternate activity was well attended by the kids who did come to school on that day. At that point it didn't make sense for students to miss the entire day for a one hour party, since many students being kept home were ones who really needed to be in school.

Even with it being clear that it's a fall festival party, not a Halloween party, we still have students absent on that day because parents are concerned that the party will be at all related to Halloween. Kids will outright tell us that Halloween is the devil's birthday, because that's what their parents have taught them. It is what it is. They believe what they believe.

My kids' school could easily be one of the ones under discussion, and I'll admit being a tiny bit disappointed when I found out there wouldn't be a Halloween celebration at school, since my kids always take great care in selecting their costumes. But...yeah, I'm not going to contribute to creating a hostile environment for religious minorities by making a big fuss about it. We get the costumes so the kids have time to wear them to the zoo, neighborhood events, and trick-or-treating. We see a lot of their classmates in the neighborhood, including those who come from nearby apartment complexes to go door-to-door in the SFH neighborhood. It's fine. Really.

But halloween isn't a religious holiday.

And public schools don't observe religious holidays (or religious anything) at school.

I thought we were supposed to embrace diversity and celebrate multiculturalism? My very catholic kids go to a Jewish preschool. They celebrate Shabbat every Friday at school. They sing hebrew songs and know the blessings. They wear costumes for Purim. They think it's neat. It doesn't impact their religious beliefs, nor does it offend them (or me).

The difference is you are choose to go to a Jewish school knowing that they would be exposed to Judaism. Others choose public or non-religious privates expecting that religion is not taught. You are religious so you are ok with some of it. My children do not practice any religion so I am not ok with someone talking about God and Heaven and other things.

Its now not a religious holiday but it has religious origins and that is where the issue is.

Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

''

I have no issue with Halloween, but I Have an issue with my kid coming home with an easter basket full of candy and crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

''

I have no issue with Halloween, but I Have an issue with my kid coming home with an easter basket full of candy and crap.

Are kids actually coming home from MCPS schools with Easter baskets?? Our school doesn't do Halloween, but at least we don't have to deal with that nonsense. I guess there's some value to being in a school with Christians, Jews, Muslim, Hindus, and everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Our school has always had a fall festival party with costumes, candy, etc. it is really one of the last holidays we can celebrate. We used to do a winter holiday celebration but that was deemed non-inclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

Agree. This PC shit is getting out of control.

In June, I was volunteering in my child's 1st grade class and the teacher read a book about Ramadan. But in December, no one was allowed to read books about Christmas. I guess I should have complained.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

''

I have no issue with Halloween, but I Have an issue with my kid coming home with an easter basket full of candy and crap.

Are kids actually coming home from MCPS schools with Easter baskets?? Our school doesn't do Halloween, but at least we don't have to deal with that nonsense. I guess there's some value to being in a school with Christians, Jews, Muslim, Hindus, and everyone else.

No, there really isn't. Minority holidays are read about, talked about, explained and even have guest speakers come in. But if you color a Christmas tree in school or mention Santa, all the minority religions are in a freaking uproar about feeling excluded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

''

I have no issue with Halloween, but I Have an issue with my kid coming home with an easter basket full of candy and crap.

Are kids actually coming home from MCPS schools with Easter baskets?? Our school doesn't do Halloween, but at least we don't have to deal with that nonsense. I guess there's some value to being in a school with Christians, Jews, Muslim, Hindus, and everyone else.

No, there really isn't. Minority holidays are read about, talked about, explained and even have guest speakers come in. But if you color a Christmas tree in school or mention Santa, all the minority religions are in a freaking uproar about feeling excluded.

+1

I have seen the same thing. Books and stories about Kwanzaa, Yom Kippur, Ramadan, Eid but then nothing about Christmas or Easter because of it's religious component. I personally don't care. I don't practice any religion but immigrants want to continue to come into the country, they can assimilate to our schools and traditions. We should not change the majority of the kids who celebrate Halloween by dressing up because the newcomers don't feel comfortable. Go back home then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

''

I have no issue with Halloween, but I Have an issue with my kid coming home with an easter basket full of candy and crap.

Are kids actually coming home from MCPS schools with Easter baskets?? Our school doesn't do Halloween, but at least we don't have to deal with that nonsense. I guess there's some value to being in a school with Christians, Jews, Muslim, Hindus, and everyone else.

No, there really isn't. Minority holidays are read about, talked about, explained and even have guest speakers come in. But if you color a Christmas tree in school or mention Santa, all the minority religions are in a freaking uproar about feeling excluded.

+1

I have seen the same thing. Books and stories about Kwanzaa, Yom Kippur, Ramadan, Eid but then nothing about Christmas or Easter because of it's religious component. I personally don't care. I don't practice any religion but immigrants want to continue to come into the country, they can assimilate to our schools and traditions. We should not change the majority of the kids who celebrate Halloween by dressing up because the newcomers don't feel comfortable. Go back home then.

+1,000

[Anonymous]

I have seen the same thing. Books and stories about Kwanzaa, Yom Kippur, Ramadan, Eid but then nothing about Christmas or Easter because of it's religious component. I personally don't care. I don't practice any religion but immigrants want to continue to come into the country, they can assimilate to our schools and traditions. We should not change the majority of the kids who celebrate Halloween by dressing up because the newcomers don't feel comfortable. Go back home then.

Why do you assume that non-Christians are immigrants? Muslims were some of the earliest non-indigenous Americans, both due to voluntary and involuntary immigration. Jews have also been here since colonial times. Thomas Jefferson himself noted that the laws were meant to protect "'the Jew and the gentile, the Christian and the Mahometan."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Can you explain how allowing kids to have a costume parade is the same as 'teaching religion'? How is celebrating Halloween in school teaching kids anything about religion?

I was more referring to Easter with making Easter baskets and Christmas.

I think that's the point! Costumes and reading books about Halloween in school have nothing to do with religion. It's a cultural holiday. Why can't teachers talk about it, or do a fun craft or whatever?

''

I have no issue with Halloween, but I Have an issue with my kid coming home with an easter basket full of candy and crap.

Are kids actually coming home from MCPS schools with Easter baskets?? Our school doesn't do Halloween, but at least we don't have to deal with that nonsense. I guess there's some value to being in a school with Christians, Jews, Muslim, Hindus, and everyone else.

No, there really isn't. Minority holidays are read about, talked about, explained and even have guest speakers come in. But if you color a Christmas tree in school or mention Santa, all the minority religions are in a freaking uproar about feeling excluded.

I've seen this too so far in MCPS! I'm not Christian, and a child of immigrants, and find this a little strange because I grew up with Halloween celebrations in my mostly white school. My kid brought home a book on Kwanzaa (though I don't think Kwanzaa is a religious holiday??) this December, and the teacher was Jewish, so they talked a good bit about Hanukkah. Which is all fine, but interesting because our school is one of the ones which does NOT celebrate Halloween. DH and I often comment that we wonder how MCPS or the individual schools make the distinction between what is acceptable and what is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have seen the same thing. Books and stories about Kwanzaa, Yom Kippur, Ramadan, Eid but then nothing about Christmas or Easter because of it's religious component. I personally don't care. I don't practice any religion but immigrants want to continue to come into the country, they can assimilate to our schools and traditions. We should not change the majority of the kids who celebrate Halloween by dressing up because the newcomers don't feel comfortable. Go back home then.

Why do you assume that non-Christians are immigrants? Muslims were some of the earliest non-indigenous Americans, both due to voluntary and involuntary immigration. Jews have also been here since colonial times. Thomas Jefferson himself noted that the laws were meant to protect "'the Jew and the gentile, the Christian and the Mahometan."

Thanks for the lecture, PC schoolmarm. In reality, until about 20 years ago Muslims were a vanishgly small percentage of America. You can go pull the census data for this if you are curious.