Our elementary school canceled Halloween

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm having trouble understanding the strong feelings in this thread. Halloween is fun, but isn't it still fun if you don't celebrate it at school? I have read the majority of the posts, and I just don't get why this is something people are angry about.

I can try to explain. I'm angry that schools are cancelling a fun, well-liked, secular tradition to accommodate a small group of religious fanatics. That's actually pretty scary to me.

I'm glad that you're happy with the changes, but it's actually pretty understandable that some parents would be saddened to see that a school tradition is now being cancelled.

Does that make sense to you?

My kid's school stopped with Halloween years ago. They went with black and orange day instead. Activities focus on fall. This was done to include kids with religious beliefs or backgrounds that don't recognize Halloween. Kids still have fun.

Nobody's religious beliefs or backgrounds recognize Halloween. It's costume day with candy and cartoonish spooky decorations.

Beg to differ.

Orthodox Jews do not celebrate secular holidays. Neither do fundamentalist Christians or Muslims. Pentacostal, Jehovah's witnesses and 7th day adventusits also are against secular holidays like Halloween

Good for them! Glad they feel so strongly about their beliefs. They are more than welcome to opt their kids out, as has been the case for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm having trouble understanding the strong feelings in this thread. Halloween is fun, but isn't it still fun if you don't celebrate it at school? I have read the majority of the posts, and I just don't get why this is something people are angry about.

I can try to explain. I'm angry that schools are cancelling a fun, well-liked, secular tradition to accommodate a small group of religious fanatics. That's actually pretty scary to me.

I'm glad that you're happy with the changes, but it's actually pretty understandable that some parents would be saddened to see that a school tradition is now being cancelled.

Does that make sense to you?

My kid's school stopped with Halloween years ago. They went with black and orange day instead. Activities focus on fall. This was done to include kids with religious beliefs or backgrounds that don't recognize Halloween. Kids still have fun.

Nobody's religious beliefs or backgrounds recognize Halloween. It's costume day with candy and cartoonish spooky decorations.

Beg to differ.

Orthodox Jews do not celebrate secular holidays. Neither do fundamentalist Christians or Muslims. Pentacostal, Jehovah's witnesses and 7th day adventusits also are against secular holidays like Halloween

They're against costume and candy day? So the answer to their intolerance is more intolerance?

You said "no religion is against a holiday" and I have you examples of religious groups that were against it and would opt their child out. That doesn't mean they necessarily want to cancel it for others, that is the school's decision

I said nobody's religious beliefs recognize Halloween, just as the PP above said (the group you're clubbing into your response). No kids are celebrating Halloween for religious reasons. It's a costume day.

*forehead slap*

I can only speak for the fundamentalist Latino evangelist church, sees it as a demonic holiday a celebration of Satan. They literally see it as a satanic holiday.

[Anonymous]

So glad our school isn't catering to these extremists and is standing up to this insanity so kids can enjoy this secular day of fun at our MCPS ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm having trouble understanding the strong feelings in this thread. Halloween is fun, but isn't it still fun if you don't celebrate it at school? I have read the majority of the posts, and I just don't get why this is something people are angry about.

I can try to explain. I'm angry that schools are cancelling a fun, well-liked, secular tradition to accommodate a small group of religious fanatics. That's actually pretty scary to me.

I'm glad that you're happy with the changes, but it's actually pretty understandable that some parents would be saddened to see that a school tradition is now being cancelled.

Does that make sense to you?

My kid's school stopped with Halloween years ago. They went with black and orange day instead. Activities focus on fall. This was done to include kids with religious beliefs or backgrounds that don't recognize Halloween. Kids still have fun.

Nobody's religious beliefs or backgrounds recognize Halloween. It's costume day with candy and cartoonish spooky decorations.

Beg to differ.

Orthodox Jews do not celebrate secular holidays. Neither do fundamentalist Christians or Muslims. Pentacostal, Jehovah's witnesses and 7th day adventusits also are against secular holidays like Halloween

They're against costume and candy day? So the answer to their intolerance is more intolerance?

You said "no religion is against a holiday" and I have you examples of religious groups that were against it and would opt their child out. That doesn't mean they necessarily want to cancel it for others, that is the school's decision

I said nobody's religious beliefs recognize Halloween, just as the PP above said (the group you're clubbing into your response). No kids are celebrating Halloween for religious reasons. It's a costume day.

*forehead slap*

I can only speak for the fundamentalist Latino evangelist church, sees it as a demonic holiday a celebration of Satan. They literally see it as a satanic holiday.

The point is that Halloween isn't actually a religious observance for anyone. If some ppl want to make a big deal out of it, they are welcome to, but don't punish the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

Which religious fanatics want it cancelled? Seems like all the progressive schools are the ones tamping down the Halloween celebrations. My kids’ Catholic school is all out for Halloween. Just curious and I fail to see how dressing up in costumes for a secular celebration excludes certain religions. Seems to me they are taking themselves out of the game, not the other way around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which religious fanatics want it cancelled? Seems like all the progressive schools are the ones tamping down the Halloween celebrations. My kids’ Catholic school is all out for Halloween. Just curious and I fail to see how dressing up in costumes for a secular celebration excludes certain religions. Seems to me they are taking themselves out of the game, not the other way around.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm having trouble understanding the strong feelings in this thread. Halloween is fun, but isn't it still fun if you don't celebrate it at school? I have read the majority of the posts, and I just don't get why this is something people are angry about.

I can try to explain. I'm angry that schools are cancelling a fun, well-liked, secular tradition to accommodate a small group of religious fanatics. That's actually pretty scary to me.

I'm glad that you're happy with the changes, but it's actually pretty understandable that some parents would be saddened to see that a school tradition is now being cancelled.

Does that make sense to you?

My kid's school stopped with Halloween years ago. They went with black and orange day instead. Activities focus on fall. This was done to include kids with religious beliefs or backgrounds that don't recognize Halloween. Kids still have fun.

Nobody's religious beliefs or backgrounds recognize Halloween. It's costume day with candy and cartoonish spooky decorations.

Beg to differ.

Orthodox Jews do not celebrate secular holidays. Neither do fundamentalist Christians or Muslims. Pentacostal, Jehovah's witnesses and 7th day adventusits also are against secular holidays like Halloween

They're against costume and candy day? So the answer to their intolerance is more intolerance?

You said "no religion is against a holiday" and I have you examples of religious groups that were against it and would opt their child out. That doesn't mean they necessarily want to cancel it for others, that is the school's decision

I said nobody's religious beliefs recognize Halloween, just as the PP above said (the group you're clubbing into your response). No kids are celebrating Halloween for religious reasons. It's a costume day.

*forehead slap*

I can only speak for the fundamentalist Latino evangelist church, sees it as a demonic holiday a celebration of Satan. They literally see it as a satanic holiday.

The point is that Halloween isn't actually a religious observance for anyone. If some ppl want to make a big deal out of it, they are welcome to, but don't punish the rest of us.

Ok, sorry. I completely agree with you on that.

I’ve advocated several times on this thread but it should not be canceled based on fanatical religious people.

[Anonymous]

Strangely, although it came up at the Sept. PTA meeting, our ES has yet to make an announcement one way or another. At this point I'll take that to mean we aren't having one. It's definitely a very diverse school and I guess pre-Covid there were a large number of opt-outs. It would be fun for the kids but I also can't get too worked up about it one way or another. There will be plenty of other opportunities for DD to wear their costume and eat junk food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So glad our school isn't catering to these extremists and is standing up to this insanity so kids can enjoy this secular day of fun at our MCPS ES.

Ours is also having a parade and costumes. No idea what these people are going on about.

[Anonymous]

The far-right shills are on a real tear today, dredging up all these non-issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The far-right shills are on a real tear today, dredging up all these non-issues.

Far Right is the party of religious extremism. Far Left is the party of SJWs. Both played the role of useful idiots to cancel Halloween at school. Reasonable people in the middle are always caught up in their collective BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The far-right shills are on a real tear today, dredging up all these non-issues.

Far Right is the party of religious extremism. Far Left is the party of SJWs. Both played the role of useful idiots to cancel Halloween at school. Reasonable people in the middle are always caught up in their collective BS.

Agreed. And our kids suffer and miss out on things because of both sides and their lunatic factions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we might want to think about what it means when we “feel sad” for kids who aren’t able to participate in Halloween for religious beliefs of their parents/family.

I mean, that’s rather paternalistic and judgmental even if unintentional.

I have had students like that and I've expressed empathy but also acknowledge that they need to honor their parents' wishes now but they can choose their own path in adulthood.

I really hope that you don’t undermine parents like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The far-right shills are on a real tear today, dredging up all these non-issues.

Far Right is the party of religious extremism. Far Left is the party of SJWs. Both played the role of useful idiots to cancel Halloween at school. Reasonable people in the middle are always caught up in their collective BS.

Agreed. And our kids suffer and miss out on things because of both sides and their lunatic factions.

I only see one side that's nuts here. The other seems more like some make-believe fiction invented to justify the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The far-right shills are on a real tear today, dredging up all these non-issues.

Far Right is the party of religious extremism. Far Left is the party of SJWs. Both played the role of useful idiots to cancel Halloween at school. Reasonable people in the middle are always caught up in their collective BS.

Agreed. And our kids suffer and miss out on things because of both sides and their lunatic factions.

I only see one side that's nuts here. The other seems more like some make-believe fiction invented to justify the other.

Agree - the right calls SJW are mostly regular people with a modicum of empathy. On the other hand, the right is largely intolerant of others and tries to force its wacky views on everyone. Justifying discrimination or other absurdity as religious freedom.