Killjoys cancelling Halloween--is this the new normal?

[Anonymous]

i love mismatched outfit day or pj day. much more kids and parents friendly.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It’s the anti-culture wars. Apparently we aren’t allowed to have a dominant culture anymore because of equity. I don’t think the woke left realizes there will be nothing left to bring people together if all we do is cancel everything.

Huh, so my schools in rural NC that didn't celebrate Halloween because of all the Christians who objected were part of the "woke left"? They'll be surprised to hear that

My Christian neighbor did not allow me to show Harry Potter to his kids on a sleepover because of "Magic and Witches". I am non-Christian immigrant. I embrace and participate in my own culture and American culture wholeheartedly. It is the right wing fundamentalists who throw a fit when things don't fit their viewpoint.

I am the room parent who will organize the Fall Festival parties (instead of calling it Halloween) in school because the school will be in trouble if the teachers organize anything. I also organize costume making parties for kids so that no one need to spend any money. And yes, usually the costumes are all the characters from favorite books because I don't want kids to dress up as celebrities, magic things, reality TV stars or GOD FORBID - any religious figure from any religion.

In trouble with who? MCPS?

With hardcore Christian parents who are anti-Halloween. They consider it a pagan holiday and believes that the kids should not be exposed to the idea that other magical beings (ghosts, witches, vampires) that exist, because that will shake their faith from Jesus, Holy Ghost, and God.

Is it just religious Christians or jehovahs witnesses who object to Halloween? Do Muslims object too?

IME, only WASP christians who don't homeschool object - period. Most of us (non-WASP, non-Christians) actually have other real problems to deal with so we deal with those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the anti-culture wars. Apparently we aren’t allowed to have a dominant culture anymore because of equity. I don’t think the woke left realizes there will be nothing left to bring people together if all we do is cancel everything.

Huh, so my schools in rural NC that didn't celebrate Halloween because of all the Christians who objected were part of the "woke left"? They'll be surprised to hear that

Ha. But this raises a good point. It's a problem to cancel it because of the Christians for the same reason it's a problem to cancel it because of the woke left. I just posted this in the other thread on this but pasting here as well:

As someone who is VERY concerned about equity, this cancelling Halloween business really pisses me off. It gives actual, important equity measures a bad name while eliminating one of the few remaining, old-fashioned joys of American childhood.

If there's an actual concern about equity, I would recommend that the kids be allowed to make costumes in school as part of art class OR that the PTA send around a note encouraging home made costumes and providing some helpful links to things that can be made from simple articles in the home OR that the school counselor host a halloween closet (as they sometimes do for food or winter coats) to which families can donate costumes and kids in need of costumes can come pick one out, on the DL if they prefer.

As for the religion question: The fact that some people have a religious issue with Halloween doesn't mean it should be cancelled for everyone, full stop. Doing so creates a very troubling precedent. Halloween as it's practiced today is simply not a religious holiday, full stop. I realize that it may still be a bridge too far for some people who have extreme religious beliefs, and it's absolutely appropriate that they be allowed to sit out things that make them uncomfortable. It is NOT appropriate for there discomfort to lead to the cancellation of those things for everyone else. I don't care if we're talking about sex ed, or the teaching of evolution, or, yes, Halloween. We simply cannot be a thriving, vital, pluralistic democracy if we put an end to everything that someone has a problem with.

Oh, FFS. No one, literally no one, is "cancelling" Halloween. Your family is free to celebrate it however you choose. Why does your snowflake need a second celebration at school? Pay for private school if that's what you want.

[Anonymous]

My kid's ES had Black and Orange day 10 years ago. That's all they did. We were fine with it since ToT happens later.

[Anonymous]

The real issue I see is that “equity” is now simply a buzz word and is losing all meaning because it’s tossed out there as a reason to alter any and everything. We’re changing this because it’s equitable. We’re adding this because we’re focusing on equity. We need to make things more equitable. I imagine most who throw the word out there actually don’t have knowledge of it’s true meaning and aren’t using it for it’s intended purpose. Our kids are in big trouble if they continue to be led to believe that the world will change for them, because that is what is equitable!

[Anonymous]

They call it equity but it's BS. It's when well-meaning people decide to speak for the "marginalized" instead of actually giving them a voice. Very few, if any, of the non-celebrants' families object to OTHERS celebrating Halloween. But it's a lot easier to make them the scapegoats than to dismantle the barriers to their participation in school level decisions and include them in that arena.

Our school did a survey, actually. A critical mass of parents said that they would keep their child home rather than send them to school when Halloween is being celebrated. Although my kids LOVE Halloween, their "right" to dress up in school does not supercede the actual right of another child to get an education.

For what it is worth, I grew up in a completely different part of the United States and we did not have Halloween in schools for the same reason. Enough parents objected, and said they would not allow their child to attend, and the school district determined that it would be better to disappoint some families than to lose an instructional day for a bunch of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They call it equity but it's BS. It's when well-meaning people decide to speak for the "marginalized" instead of actually giving them a voice. Very few, if any, of the non-celebrants' families object to OTHERS celebrating Halloween. But it's a lot easier to make them the scapegoats than to dismantle the barriers to their participation in school level decisions and include them in that arena.

Our school did a survey, actually. A critical mass of parents said that they would keep their child home rather than send them to school when Halloween is being celebrated. Although my kids LOVE Halloween, their "right" to dress up in school does not supercede the actual right of another child to get an education.

For what it is worth, I grew up in a completely different part of the United States and we did not have Halloween in schools for the same reason. Enough parents objected, and said they would not allow their child to attend, and the school district determined that it would be better to disappoint some families than to lose an instructional day for a bunch of kids.

I see your point. But it really feels like hostage taking to say "I will keep my kid home if you allow other children to attend in costume"

It's one thing to cancel the party, but you immediately went to "right to dress up in school does not supersede the right of another child to get an education."

Actually, yes, it does. If that other child wants to dress up for one day, that's THEIR decision. And its the other family's complete overreaction to pull their child for that reason.

It's a slippery slope. Its like saying "I won't send my kid to school, if the girls are wearing parents; that's against my beliefs" "I refuse to send to me kids to school with children wearing a religious headcovering"

I totally see the point about school sponsored events. but if a kid wants to dress like superman, especially for one day....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I see your point. But it really feels like hostage taking to say "I will keep my kid home if you allow other children to attend in costume"

It's one thing to cancel the party, but you immediately went to "right to dress up in school does not supersede the right of another child to get an education."

Actually, yes, it does. If that other child wants to dress up for one day, that's THEIR decision. And its the other family's complete overreaction to pull their child for that reason.

It's a slippery slope. Its like saying "I won't send my kid to school, if the girls are wearing parents; that's against my beliefs" "I refuse to send to me kids to school with children wearing a religious headcovering"

I totally see the point about school sponsored events. but if a kid wants to dress like superman, especially for one day....

No, it doesn't. Or at least it shouldn't. The parents are not telling the school to cancel the event or else. The parents are not even asking the school to cancel the event. The parents are just telling the school that if the school holds the event, the parents will keep their children at home that day.

Also, no, it's not a slippery slope. The schools have to allow students to wear religious headcoverings. The schools do not have to sponsor Halloween events.

I don't think the school would send a child home if they came to school in a Superman costume, on October 31 or any other day of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i love mismatched outfit day or pj day. much more kids and parents friendly.

Those types of dress-up days are usually reserved for your school’s spirit week or something similar.

[Anonymous]

It's not about equity, it's about inclusion, which is a very worthy goal. When our elementary school stopped celebrating Halloween a few years ago because we have a growing Central American population with many parents that objected to their children participating in Halloween (along with our growing observant Jewish population), a bunch of parents who claim to like sending their kids to a diverse school were upset that their children wouldn't have Halloween (never mind that they got to dress up and go trick or treating at night, and the school still had a party, but it was a Fall Festival instead). "Can't they just have a separate party for those kids?" they asked on the listserv, even giving suggestions for the types of activities they could have at their separate, non-Halloween party. Sure, they could, but they would be with kids from other grades/classes who were not their friends. Why not have a classroom party that everyone can participate in together?

[Anonymous]

DCUM: I had Halloween when I was in school, ergo my kid should have it, too. Because nothing should ever change.
DCUM: I had the most adorable costume picked out for my kid and you're telling me I can't show it off at school?!

[Anonymous]

My kids’ schools have never done Halloween in school. I don’t mind it, we trick or treat at home anyway. Especially this year with the holiday on a Friday.

[Anonymous]

MCPS focuses more on these events than they do on educating children That's why things have gone so bad these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS focuses more on these events than they do on educating children That's why things have gone so bad these days.

It's hard to tell if you're complaining about MCPS having Halloween parties or MCPS not having Halloween parties.

[Anonymous]

Shut up, OP. Your kids can still dress up for Halloween and go trick or treating. Dressing up for school and having a parade is a huge distraction. I'd rather my kids be learning.