"Cultural Sharing" Double Standard

[Anonymous]

When I was in elementary school (mcps), back in the 80s, we used to make dreidels out of clay for Hanukkah. I also remember eating gefilte fish. We were not a Jewish school at all. Most of us were minorities! I also remember making lanterns for the Chinese new year. We celebrated Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas.

I remember looking forward to the Jewish holidays because they had so many fun festivals. I think participating and learning about other cultures and religions can help bridge understanding and bring us together rather than divide us. There’s so much division and division breeds misunderstandings and resentment. MCPS used to be a place where you could learn reading, writing an arithmetic, but also have a rich cultural education. It’s a shame that it doesn’t seem to be that way anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I was in elementary school (mcps), back in the 80s, we used to make dreidels out of clay for Hanukkah. I also remember eating gefilte fish. We were not a Jewish school at all. Most of us were minorities! I also remember making lanterns for the Chinese new year. We celebrated Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas.

I remember looking forward to the Jewish holidays because they had so many fun festivals. I think participating and learning about other cultures and religions can help bridge understanding and bring us together rather than divide us. There’s so much division and division breeds misunderstandings and resentment. MCPS used to be a place where you could learn reading, writing an arithmetic, but also have a rich cultural education. It’s a shame that it doesn’t seem to be that way anymore.

The OP is complaining that their child made a Diwali lantern in class. Did you make Diwali lanterns in class, when you were in MCPS elementary school back in the 1980s? I certainly did not make Diwali lanterns in class, when I was in elementary school (not in MCPS) in the 1970s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there secular Christmas but Hanukkah gets to have a religious symbol of a menorah? The nativity is banned.

Some things seriously puzzle me but whatever.

I am Jewish and this bothers me as well. I'm grateful they feature Menorahs but having a Nativity scene is something that's historically a part of American culture, yes it's religious but, like, the people who founded the USA were Christian, and I'm Jewish and see nothing wrong with celebrating that.

Give credit where credit is due.

We should have religious nativity scenes in our Christmas celebrations in public school because some of the Founding Fathers were Christian?

Afaik they ALL were Christian. I don't see why Nativity scenes should be forbidden, that's for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there secular Christmas but Hanukkah gets to have a religious symbol of a menorah? The nativity is banned.

Some things seriously puzzle me but whatever.

I am Jewish and this bothers me as well. I'm grateful they feature Menorahs but having a Nativity scene is something that's historically a part of American culture, yes it's religious but, like, the people who founded the USA were Christian, and I'm Jewish and see nothing wrong with celebrating that.

Give credit where credit is due.

We should have religious nativity scenes in our Christmas celebrations in public school because some of the Founding Fathers were Christian?

Afaik they ALL were Christian. I don't see why Nativity scenes should be forbidden, that's for sure.

Please learn more American history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was in elementary school (mcps), back in the 80s, we used to make dreidels out of clay for Hanukkah. I also remember eating gefilte fish. We were not a Jewish school at all. Most of us were minorities! I also remember making lanterns for the Chinese new year. We celebrated Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas.

I remember looking forward to the Jewish holidays because they had so many fun festivals. I think participating and learning about other cultures and religions can help bridge understanding and bring us together rather than divide us. There’s so much division and division breeds misunderstandings and resentment. MCPS used to be a place where you could learn reading, writing an arithmetic, but also have a rich cultural education. It’s a shame that it doesn’t seem to be that way anymore.

The OP is complaining that their child made a Diwali lantern in class. Did you make Diwali lanterns in class, when you were in MCPS elementary school back in the 1980s? I certainly did not make Diwali lanterns in class, when I was in elementary school (not in MCPS) in the 1970s.

I remember making lanterns, but if I am being honest with you, I do not remember which holiday was for. I think it’s great If they’re making Diwali lanterns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there secular Christmas but Hanukkah gets to have a religious symbol of a menorah? The nativity is banned.

Some things seriously puzzle me but whatever.

I am Jewish and this bothers me as well. I'm grateful they feature Menorahs but having a Nativity scene is something that's historically a part of American culture, yes it's religious but, like, the people who founded the USA were Christian, and I'm Jewish and see nothing wrong with celebrating that.

Give credit where credit is due.

We should have religious nativity scenes in our Christmas celebrations in public school because some of the Founding Fathers were Christian?

Afaik they ALL were Christian. I don't see why Nativity scenes should be forbidden, that's for sure.

Please learn more American history.

This is a ridiculous argument - we all know the Founding Fathers were Christian.

Even suppose they weren't, 50% of the USA identifies as Christian. There are millions more religious Christians than Muslims or Jews. It makes no sense to ignore them.

[Anonymous]

While we are at it can we ban the school closures for Jewish holidays? PLEASE. This is the bane of my existence every year. Let them have an excused absence on the basis of their religion but learning and school should continue on their holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While we are at it can we ban the school closures for Jewish holidays? PLEASE. This is the bane of my existence every year. Let them have an excused absence on the basis of their religion but learning and school should continue on their holidays.

So, MCPS periodically does surveys of families and employees to inform these decisions. Consistently, it turns out that enough teachers and staff will be out on Jewish holidays to justify a closure. Even before the current sub shortage, there just were not enough folks to cover those classes so they ended up being "lost" days anyway. If there won't be any learning, MCPS may as well close that day officially and add a day when learning will take place.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm Indian (Hindu) and I think a little sharing about Xmas and Valentine's is fine! People are so upright now - what's wrong with celebrating/learning about it all?

[Anonymous]

*uptight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there secular Christmas but Hanukkah gets to have a religious symbol of a menorah? The nativity is banned.

Some things seriously puzzle me but whatever.

It is popular to ban Christianity even though our country was based on Judeo-Christian values.

It was not. Our constitutional framers deliberately created a secular government with strong protections for and from religion.

Ummm... no. They didn't create a secular government. They wanted to avoid the religious conflicts that plagued Europe, so banned religious tests for public office and the establishment of a nation-wide religion. Religious was expected to be a state matter (along with almost everything else.) Otherwise, no, God and prayer are found throughout government documents, meetings, etc. along with their discussions of a religious, virtuous society being necessary for a republican government. Thomas Jefferson may have wanted a wall of separation, but none of that made it into the founding documents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there secular Christmas but Hanukkah gets to have a religious symbol of a menorah? The nativity is banned.

Some things seriously puzzle me but whatever.

I am Jewish and this bothers me as well. I'm grateful they feature Menorahs but having a Nativity scene is something that's historically a part of American culture, yes it's religious but, like, the people who founded the USA were Christian, and I'm Jewish and see nothing wrong with celebrating that.

Give credit where credit is due.

We should have religious nativity scenes in our Christmas celebrations in public school because some of the Founding Fathers were Christian?

Afaik they ALL were Christian. I don't see why Nativity scenes should be forbidden, that's for sure.

Please learn more American history.

This is a ridiculous argument - we all know the Founding Fathers were Christian.

Even suppose they weren't, 50% of the USA identifies as Christian. There are millions more religious Christians than Muslims or Jews. It makes no sense to ignore them.

We may or may not all know that but those of us who do know it are wrong. Some of the Founding Fathers were Christian, some were not. Also nobody is ignoring Christians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was in elementary school (mcps), back in the 80s, we used to make dreidels out of clay for Hanukkah. I also remember eating gefilte fish. We were not a Jewish school at all. Most of us were minorities! I also remember making lanterns for the Chinese new year. We celebrated Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas.

I remember looking forward to the Jewish holidays because they had so many fun festivals. I think participating and learning about other cultures and religions can help bridge understanding and bring us together rather than divide us. There’s so much division and division breeds misunderstandings and resentment. MCPS used to be a place where you could learn reading, writing an arithmetic, but also have a rich cultural education. It’s a shame that it doesn’t seem to be that way anymore.

The OP is complaining that their child made a Diwali lantern in class. Did you make Diwali lanterns in class, when you were in MCPS elementary school back in the 1980s? I certainly did not make Diwali lanterns in class, when I was in elementary school (not in MCPS) in the 1970s.

OP here and I was absolutely not complaining about my kid making a Diwali lantern. It was fun and I'd like to see more of that kind of thing. I'm complaining that secular American holidays are not celebrated and by my reading, differentially discouraged from mention. I welcome comparably secular holidays from all over the world; the more holiday the merrier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I was in elementary school (mcps), back in the 80s, we used to make dreidels out of clay for Hanukkah. I also remember eating gefilte fish. We were not a Jewish school at all. Most of us were minorities! I also remember making lanterns for the Chinese new year. We celebrated Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas.

I remember looking forward to the Jewish holidays because they had so many fun festivals. I think participating and learning about other cultures and religions can help bridge understanding and bring us together rather than divide us. There’s so much division and division breeds misunderstandings and resentment. MCPS used to be a place where you could learn reading, writing an arithmetic, but also have a rich cultural education. It’s a shame that it doesn’t seem to be that way anymore.

The OP is complaining that their child made a Diwali lantern in class. Did you make Diwali lanterns in class, when you were in MCPS elementary school back in the 1980s? I certainly did not make Diwali lanterns in class, when I was in elementary school (not in MCPS) in the 1970s.

OP here and I was absolutely not complaining about my kid making a Diwali lantern. It was fun and I'd like to see more of that kind of thing. I'm complaining that secular American holidays are not celebrated and by my reading, differentially discouraged from mention. I welcome comparably secular holidays from all over the world; the more holiday the merrier.

And also, to be clear, I would consider the cessation of American holiday celebrations in school to be a real loss even if it weren't for the additional issue of the school system seeming to be uniquely bothered by American holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there secular Christmas but Hanukkah gets to have a religious symbol of a menorah? The nativity is banned.

Some things seriously puzzle me but whatever.

I am Jewish and this bothers me as well. I'm grateful they feature Menorahs but having a Nativity scene is something that's historically a part of American culture, yes it's religious but, like, the people who founded the USA were Christian, and I'm Jewish and see nothing wrong with celebrating that.

Give credit where credit is due.

We should have religious nativity scenes in our Christmas celebrations in public school because some of the Founding Fathers were Christian?

Afaik they ALL were Christian. I don't see why Nativity scenes should be forbidden, that's for sure.

Please learn more American history.

This is a ridiculous argument - we all know the Founding Fathers were Christian.

Even suppose they weren't, 50% of the USA identifies as Christian. There are millions more religious Christians than Muslims or Jews. It makes no sense to ignore them.

They were deist.