Religion at school events, Creative Minds International

[Anonymous]

Easter as in the stations of the cross and 3 crosses mounted up? Or Easter as in the Easter bunny, baskets, and eggs/candy?

I mean, even the White House has the annual Easter egg hunt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.

Nope, my kid is not being raised Christian. I’ve just been in DC schools long enough to understand the overall context. If you want your kids to celebrate Holi in school then YOU need to organize it. I’m sure the school will be excited to host you.

If you're celebrating Easter and Christmas, you are in fact raising your child culturally Christian.

You keep making this point, but I don't think any religious minority here is asking for our public schools to acknowledge our religious holidays. (Personally I'm not looking for that at all). We are largely expressing a desire, not a demand, just a desire, that no religious holiday be actively celebrated in a public school classroom.

So no Halloween or Valentine’s day either?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.

Nope, my kid is not being raised Christian. I’ve just been in DC schools long enough to understand the overall context. If you want your kids to celebrate Holi in school then YOU need to organize it. I’m sure the school will be excited to host you.

If you're celebrating Easter and Christmas, you are in fact raising your child culturally Christian.

You keep making this point, but I don't think any religious minority here is asking for our public schools to acknowledge our religious holidays. (Personally I'm not looking for that at all). We are largely expressing a desire, not a demand, just a desire, that no religious holiday be actively celebrated in a public school classroom.

+1. My kids' DCPS doesn't acknowledge our religious holidays, and I don't especially care. But like PP, it would be my preference to skip holiday celebrations period. There are so many fun things to celebrate that aren't related to a religion. Books, historical events, and just the changing seasons are cool when you're in elementary school.

But in the US, everything (including the literal school calendar) prioritizes Christian holidays and practice. It's inescapable. No one would suffer if schools ditched the Santa hats and Easter bunnies.

There’s where you are wrong. It’s important for schools to create a sense of community and connection and traditions. Things like singing Christmas carols and bunny crafts do that. It’s not the only way, but it’s one big way that schools can easily create it. Schools would suffer if you banned connecting anything in school to what’s going on more broadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand. This thread is very strange. One thing is a teacher bringing the bible in to school and reading it to the students or a teacher having everyone bow their heads in compliance to a prayer. But are we really complaining about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny as religious? When I was religious Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were banned in the house I grew up in. It was not until I escaped religion that I could be free to celebrate those pagan holidays.

^^exactly. It’s not about Christianity. Sorry no, you don’t get to demand that the culture change for you. You are free to add to it, but not ban it. Same way that if my kid went to school in Israel I wouldn’t complain about the Sun-Thurs work week or if I moved to China I wouldn’t complain about Lunar New Year celebrations.

[Anonymous]

My kindergartener is happy to learn about any religious holiday if something delicious is involved. The more shots on goal for special snacks, the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is happy to learn about any religious holiday if something delicious is involved. The more shots on goal for special snacks, the better.

Yep, seriously some people want to take the joy out things for all the kids just because you happen to not agree with it.

Let’s be real, no public school is talking about the Bible or Jesus. My bet was it was a station with bunnies, eggs, or whatever.

OP and others not happy with it, feel free to not attend the event, take your kid out of school for the day or whatever. Just because you are in the 1% doesn’t mean you get to dictate community building and fun events at school for the majority

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is happy to learn about any religious holiday if something delicious is involved. The more shots on goal for special snacks, the better.

Yep, seriously some people want to take the joy out things for all the kids just because you happen to not agree with it.

Let’s be real, no public school is talking about the Bible or Jesus. My bet was it was a station with bunnies, eggs, or whatever.

OP and others not happy with it, feel free to not attend the event, take your kid out of school for the day or whatever. Just because you are in the 1% doesn’t mean you get to dictate community building and fun events at school for the majority

And to add, it doesn’t mean the school is not inclusive. Like others have said, feel free to host an event showcasing your religion. But it’s unrealistic that the school is going to focus on Islam and showcase that when maybe 2 kids out of 200 are.

[Anonymous]

I find it appalling to have an Easter thing at a public school STEAM event, and reading these answer is quite upsetting. It's not even that close to Easter! Which makes it seem like someone is proselytizing. Which is super uncomfortable to religious minorities. I'm really sorry this happened, and I would absolutely be in touch with the administration to make sure they know that it's 'othering' people who do not observe the holiday. It's not okay!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is happy to learn about any religious holiday if something delicious is involved. The more shots on goal for special snacks, the better.

Yes, but... people fast for Ramadan. People fast for Yom Kippur and the Ninth of Av. It's not cute to reduce my religion to a coloring page and a snack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it appalling to have an Easter thing at a public school STEAM event, and reading these answer is quite upsetting. It's not even that close to Easter! Which makes it seem like someone is proselytizing. Which is super uncomfortable to religious minorities. I'm really sorry this happened, and I would absolutely be in touch with the administration to make sure they know that it's 'othering' people who do not observe the holiday. It's not okay!

Cry more. You're speculating on what happened and don't have a clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is happy to learn about any religious holiday if something delicious is involved. The more shots on goal for special snacks, the better.

Yes, but... people fast for Ramadan. People fast for Yom Kippur and the Ninth of Av. It's not cute to reduce my religion to a coloring page and a snack.

Are you for real?? So then don’t have your kid eat the snack since I’m also assuming your kid is not eating lunch too.

If you are so bothered by this, send your kid to your religious school or whatever.

I’m not surprised your kid feels deprived if this is how uptight, inflexible, and intolerant you are. JFC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is happy to learn about any religious holiday if something delicious is involved. The more shots on goal for special snacks, the better.

Yes, but... people fast for Ramadan. People fast for Yom Kippur and the Ninth of Av. It's not cute to reduce my religion to a coloring page and a snack.

Ok, then pick a holiday or an aspect of the holiday that is festive. It’s not hard. Lots of schools teach the dreidl game and song, not Passover and the slaughter of the firstborn.

[Anonymous]

Don't care about this stuff, but my kid will explain to your kid not just that Santa isn't real but that neither is Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't care about this stuff, but my kid will explain to your kid not just that Santa isn't real but that neither is Jesus.

And then tip his fedora to m’lady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kindergartener is happy to learn about any religious holiday if something delicious is involved. The more shots on goal for special snacks, the better.

Yes, but... people fast for Ramadan. People fast for Yom Kippur and the Ninth of Av. It's not cute to reduce my religion to a coloring page and a snack.

Huge eyeroll here. What do you expect kindergarteners to absorb about these holidays? My Muslim Kindergartener is not fasting, so it wouldn't make sense to drill home that point to his classmates. We pick other aspects of the holiday to discuss and came up with crafts for the kids to do. The point is for kids to feel acknowledged when their own holidays are different, and for other kids to become aware that other holidays exist. I don't need a bunch of kinders or even 1st graders to be able to name the 5 pillars of Islam.