FCPS schools hosting religious events?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Received the following email from our school:

Dear Parents/Guardians,

As we are in the holy month of Ramadan, we invite you to join us for a special community Iftar dinner. This event is a celebration of unity, cultural respect, and the values that make us ethical global citizens. We aim to create an inclusive space where we can share food, fellowship, and learn from each other's diverse backgrounds. Please join us for an evening of warmth and connection as we break our fast together. This is a wonderful opportunity to build community, foster mutual understanding, and appreciate the rich tapestry of cultures within our school family.

Date: Thursday, March 27th

Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Location: Frost Middle School – Lecture Hall

A location for Magrib prayer will be provided for those who want to participate.

To make our Iftar dinner a success, we are asking each family interested in joining to:

contribute a dish to share and indicate the exact dish on the form below. This will help us ensure we have a delicious variety of foods and avoid duplicates.
list the main ingredients of your dish to help with allergy awareness and to celebrate the different ingredients used in our cultures.

Please complete this form if you plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

I'm curious if such events are allowed and if any such events are hosted in other schools. I thought FCPS public schools are supposed to be secular no? They haven't hosted any such events for other faiths.

What if you hosted a celebration dinner on Easter Monday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Strongly disapprove of public resources being used for a religious celebration.

The Supreme Court and the Constitution disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strongly disapprove of public resources being used for a religious celebration.

I'm going to complain the next time my kid has to sing a Christmas song and a Hanukkah song at the winter chorus performance. Strongly disapprove of public resources being used for a religious celebration.

Our elementary school chorus has always been religion-neutral, even for the winter chorus. Absolutely no song even remotely related to Christmas. Most chorus songs are from some indigenous people in Africa or South America.

+1
The pendulum swung a different way many years ago and after a decade of attending band and chorus concerts, I have not heard one Christian song at Christmas or any other time.

-1
I don’t know where you all have been. We’ve always had religious and secular songs at our winter concerts and winter sing along. I’m a teacher, so I go to these every year. In December I heard:
—Feliz Navidad
—The Dreidl Dance: kids even do a dance
—O’Tannenbaum
—Jingle Bells, Frosty
—a song about Kwanzaa
—Burrito Sabernero which is all about going to Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus
That’s just what I can remember.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Received the following email from our school:

Dear Parents/Guardians,

As we are in the holy month of Ramadan, we invite you to join us for a special community Iftar dinner. This event is a celebration of unity, cultural respect, and the values that make us ethical global citizens. We aim to create an inclusive space where we can share food, fellowship, and learn from each other's diverse backgrounds. Please join us for an evening of warmth and connection as we break our fast together. This is a wonderful opportunity to build community, foster mutual understanding, and appreciate the rich tapestry of cultures within our school family.

Date: Thursday, March 27th

Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Location: Frost Middle School – Lecture Hall

A location for Magrib prayer will be provided for those who want to participate.

To make our Iftar dinner a success, we are asking each family interested in joining to:

contribute a dish to share and indicate the exact dish on the form below. This will help us ensure we have a delicious variety of foods and avoid duplicates.
list the main ingredients of your dish to help with allergy awareness and to celebrate the different ingredients used in our cultures.

Please complete this form if you plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

I'm curious if such events are allowed and if any such events are hosted in other schools. I thought FCPS public schools are supposed to be secular no? They haven't hosted any such events for other faiths.

What if you hosted a celebration dinner on Easter Monday?

Since when is that a part of an Easter celebration or tradition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

Would you be okay with FCPs organizing s Passover dinner, along with prayers?

An Easter Sunday celebration?

A lenten fish fry with a room set up for Stations of the Cross or a Rosary?


Our community facebook page changes the banner around for various holidays. They put up a Ramadan banner for around a week. It had a couple of dozen of posts from muslims and non muslims wishing them well.

Then they switched it to a generic Lenten banner for Ash Wednesday, that said something generic like "Pray, Fast, Sacrifice" with no mention of God or Christianity specifically.

The page exploded with outrage over including a banner recognizing a Christian holiday. Dozens of posts appeared almost immediately, upset over the Lenten banner, many specifically saying they were upset that it was recognizing a Christian event. The moderators had to take down the banner over the outrage. It didn't even stay up the full Ash Wednesday.

It was then followed by several additional threads of people upset that a Christian holiday was recognized, even though the Ramadan one had been up for almost a week and tge page always posts a cute generic banner for the various holidays. The mods then posted an egg banner, joking about egg prices being a universal issue, which was followed by people starting threads complaining that eggs are actually a Christian symbol since folks dye eggs at Easter, so the eggs proselytize Christianity.

You can't tell me this area isn't overtly hostile to Christianity, nor that you and others would not be flipping out if FCPS were promoting a Christian or Jewish prayer event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

Would you be okay with FCPs organizing s Passover dinner, along with prayers?

An Easter Sunday celebration?

A lenten fish fry with a room set up for Stations of the Cross or a Rosary?


Our community facebook page changes the banner around for various holidays. They put up a Ramadan banner for around a week. It had a couple of dozen of posts from muslims and non muslims wishing them well.

Then they switched it to a generic Lenten banner for Ash Wednesday, that said something generic like "Pray, Fast, Sacrifice" with no mention of God or Christianity specifically.

The page exploded with outrage over including a banner recognizing a Christian holiday. Dozens of posts appeared almost immediately, upset over the Lenten banner, many specifically saying they were upset that it was recognizing a Christian event. The moderators had to take down the banner over the outrage. It didn't even stay up the full Ash Wednesday.

It was then followed by several additional threads of people upset that a Christian holiday was recognized, even though the Ramadan one had been up for almost a week and tge page always posts a cute generic banner for the various holidays. The mods then posted an egg banner, joking about egg prices being a universal issue, which was followed by people starting threads complaining that eggs are actually a Christian symbol since folks dye eggs at Easter, so the eggs proselytize Christianity.

You can't tell me this area isn't overtly hostile to Christianity, nor that you and others would not be flipping out if FCPS were promoting a Christian or Jewish prayer event.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

But, the problem has become that only the minority factions are showcased.

Absolutely not true. Our multi-cultural night had families representing Texas, Appalachia, and California in addition to many European, Asian, South American, and African heritages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

Would you be okay with FCPs organizing s Passover dinner, along with prayers?

An Easter Sunday celebration?

A lenten fish fry with a room set up for Stations of the Cross or a Rosary?


Our community facebook page changes the banner around for various holidays. They put up a Ramadan banner for around a week. It had a couple of dozen of posts from muslims and non muslims wishing them well.

Then they switched it to a generic Lenten banner for Ash Wednesday, that said something generic like "Pray, Fast, Sacrifice" with no mention of God or Christianity specifically.

The page exploded with outrage over including a banner recognizing a Christian holiday. Dozens of posts appeared almost immediately, upset over the Lenten banner, many specifically saying they were upset that it was recognizing a Christian event. The moderators had to take down the banner over the outrage. It didn't even stay up the full Ash Wednesday.

It was then followed by several additional threads of people upset that a Christian holiday was recognized, even though the Ramadan one had been up for almost a week and tge page always posts a cute generic banner for the various holidays. The mods then posted an egg banner, joking about egg prices being a universal issue, which was followed by people starting threads complaining that eggs are actually a Christian symbol since folks dye eggs at Easter, so the eggs proselytize Christianity.

You can't tell me this area isn't overtly hostile to Christianity, nor that you and others would not be flipping out if FCPS were promoting a Christian or Jewish prayer event.

Well your community sounds like a bunch of jerks. Even FCPS sends out holiday messages for Easter, Lent, Ash Wednesday, etc.

I would love to be invited to a community Seder or Holi color toss, but you people would never allow that. I feel really bad for the people who are going to wake up to dozens of emails tomorrow morning condemning the email that OP carelessly posted here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

Would you be okay with FCPs organizing s Passover dinner, along with prayers?

An Easter Sunday celebration?

A lenten fish fry with a room set up for Stations of the Cross or a Rosary?


Our community facebook page changes the banner around for various holidays. They put up a Ramadan banner for around a week. It had a couple of dozen of posts from muslims and non muslims wishing them well.

Then they switched it to a generic Lenten banner for Ash Wednesday, that said something generic like "Pray, Fast, Sacrifice" with no mention of God or Christianity specifically.

The page exploded with outrage over including a banner recognizing a Christian holiday. Dozens of posts appeared almost immediately, upset over the Lenten banner, many specifically saying they were upset that it was recognizing a Christian event. The moderators had to take down the banner over the outrage. It didn't even stay up the full Ash Wednesday.

It was then followed by several additional threads of people upset that a Christian holiday was recognized, even though the Ramadan one had been up for almost a week and tge page always posts a cute generic banner for the various holidays. The mods then posted an egg banner, joking about egg prices being a universal issue, which was followed by people starting threads complaining that eggs are actually a Christian symbol since folks dye eggs at Easter, so the eggs proselytize Christianity.

You can't tell me this area isn't overtly hostile to Christianity, nor that you and others would not be flipping out if FCPS were promoting a Christian or Jewish prayer event.

You are the majority. How can "this area" which is majority Christian be hostile to Christianity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

Would you be okay with FCPs organizing s Passover dinner, along with prayers?

An Easter Sunday celebration?

A lenten fish fry with a room set up for Stations of the Cross or a Rosary?


Our community facebook page changes the banner around for various holidays. They put up a Ramadan banner for around a week. It had a couple of dozen of posts from muslims and non muslims wishing them well.

Then they switched it to a generic Lenten banner for Ash Wednesday, that said something generic like "Pray, Fast, Sacrifice" with no mention of God or Christianity specifically.

The page exploded with outrage over including a banner recognizing a Christian holiday. Dozens of posts appeared almost immediately, upset over the Lenten banner, many specifically saying they were upset that it was recognizing a Christian event. The moderators had to take down the banner over the outrage. It didn't even stay up the full Ash Wednesday.

It was then followed by several additional threads of people upset that a Christian holiday was recognized, even though the Ramadan one had been up for almost a week and tge page always posts a cute generic banner for the various holidays. The mods then posted an egg banner, joking about egg prices being a universal issue, which was followed by people starting threads complaining that eggs are actually a Christian symbol since folks dye eggs at Easter, so the eggs proselytize Christianity.

You can't tell me this area isn't overtly hostile to Christianity, nor that you and others would not be flipping out if FCPS were promoting a Christian or Jewish prayer event.

Is that actually a thing? LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

But, the problem has become that only the minority factions are showcased.

Why are you calling cultures "factions" like we are some sort of terrorist organization?

[Anonymous]

***People like OP ruin cultural celebrations for everyone. Waiting for the email tomorrow that cancels this event. Too bad, the food would have been delicious.***

[Anonymous]

I guess you won't be going, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like the event is voluntary and outside of normal school hours. What’s the problem?

Bc it looks like fcps is promoting, advertising, and favoring a specific religious group.

My guess is that this is an event organized and hosted by a cultural group that is paying for the space in the school (like many churches do on Sunday mornings to hold their services) and they sent a message to the principal inviting the school community to participate and learn about Ramadan and Iftar, which resulted in the email OP received and posted here to spark outrage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, people like OP are the ones that have caused the school system to have to shut down anything even remotely religious or cultural and she doesn't even realize it!!

Our school doesn't even do multi-cultural night anymore because of people like OP complaining about religious dances at a multi-cultural event. It's outrageous. Let's celebrate people's culture. Yes, sometimes celebrating someone's culture includes something related to their religion. That's okay! It's also an optional event, it's not like someone is saying "It's Ramadan, nobody in the entire school can eat today, you must come break fast with us after sunset", they're just saying "hey, we are doing this to celebrate the Muslim population in our community and we invite you to join us and learn about our culture".

Would you be okay with FCPs organizing s Passover dinner, along with prayers?

An Easter Sunday celebration?

A lenten fish fry with a room set up for Stations of the Cross or a Rosary?


Our community facebook page changes the banner around for various holidays. They put up a Ramadan banner for around a week. It had a couple of dozen of posts from muslims and non muslims wishing them well.

Then they switched it to a generic Lenten banner for Ash Wednesday, that said something generic like "Pray, Fast, Sacrifice" with no mention of God or Christianity specifically.

The page exploded with outrage over including a banner recognizing a Christian holiday. Dozens of posts appeared almost immediately, upset over the Lenten banner, many specifically saying they were upset that it was recognizing a Christian event. The moderators had to take down the banner over the outrage. It didn't even stay up the full Ash Wednesday.

It was then followed by several additional threads of people upset that a Christian holiday was recognized, even though the Ramadan one had been up for almost a week and tge page always posts a cute generic banner for the various holidays. The mods then posted an egg banner, joking about egg prices being a universal issue, which was followed by people starting threads complaining that eggs are actually a Christian symbol since folks dye eggs at Easter, so the eggs proselytize Christianity.

You can't tell me this area isn't overtly hostile to Christianity, nor that you and others would not be flipping out if FCPS were promoting a Christian or Jewish prayer event.

You are the majority. How can "this area" which is majority Christian be hostile to Christianity?

You are wrong.

This area is majority "None", with a heavy dose of agnostic atheists.

Christmas is a religious Christian holiday, but most people in northern Virhinia have no religion and don't celebrate it as a Christian holiday. They celebrate it as an American, cultural, secular tradition. The same goes for Easter. Most of the people in northern Virginia don't even go to church, not even for holy days. They don't believe in anything.

Christmas is one of America's original National Holidays. One of the first. For almost 200 years (1870) Christmas has been an important part culturally even longer from the beginning if our country as part of our national tradition. Yes, the United States was created based on a Christian cultural heritage. This is indisputable. Our laws, our values and our traditions are derived from Christianity, so this is part of the fabric of our country's legacy and heritage. Yes, Christmas is one of the most important holy days for Christians, but it also is one of America's most important cultural secular traditions. Even with most people in northern Virginia not practicing any religion, Christmas is honored and celebrated by most Americans as a secular, American tradition.

But to say the majority practice Christianity is not accurate. The majority in Northern Virginia are "Nones" with no faith whatsoever.