Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

I wish we would have a longer break in the winter and stay open for Rosh Hashanash, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Lunar New Year, Passover, and Eid. This year, at least Diwali was a school day.

If students within those populations want the day off, it should be an excused asbsence for them. I say this as a member of one of these groups.

Also, Valentine's Day and Halloween are definitely school dependent. One of my kids went to a CES, and that school did not celebrate Halloween during the school day. They had a fall festival during school, and Halloween was an after school Friday evening event in the school cafeteria. Our neighborhood school had a Halloween party and parade with costumes.

Both schools had in-school Valentine's Day celebrations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tell if I am being unreasonable to be annoyed here--

DC is in elementary school that frequently touts the beauty and joy of "sharing your culture." At one point, parents were invited in to "share an activity from your culture." As a result of that invitation, my kid brought home a little lantern they made in celebration of Diwali.

And yet, when it comes to mainstream secular holidays like Halloween or Valentines Day, we get emails like this:

Valentine's Reminder

As Valentine's Day approaches, let's be mindful of our school community's inclusive approach to celebrations. While the holiday is often celebrated with parties, distributing Valentines, and treats, it's important to recognize its religious roots, and that not all members of our community may observe it. Additionally, due to serious allergies, our school has a no-candy policy in classrooms.

We got a similar message around Halloween. I can't help but get the feeling, based on these emails, that if I took up the teacher on one of these invitations to "share my culture" around Halloween or Valentines Day or any other secular take on a mainstream American holiday (e.g. Christmas), it would not be well-received. I am all for my kid learning and celebrating other cultures, but this feels like a double standard.

Frankly, I find it annoying that we not allowed to have any common celebration with these holidays. I remember Halloween and Valentines Day as some of my most fun in-school experiences and this feels like they are caving to an unreasonably intolerant minority. Obviously we can and still do invite classmates over to celebrate these holidays at home, but that is not quite the same.

Thoughts?

Yes American culture is being erased.
Please go vote for a different board this election cycle.
We deserve better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tell if I am being unreasonable to be annoyed here--

DC is in elementary school that frequently touts the beauty and joy of "sharing your culture." At one point, parents were invited in to "share an activity from your culture." As a result of that invitation, my kid brought home a little lantern they made in celebration of Diwali.

And yet, when it comes to mainstream secular holidays like Halloween or Valentines Day, we get emails like this:

Valentine's Reminder

As Valentine's Day approaches, let's be mindful of our school community's inclusive approach to celebrations. While the holiday is often celebrated with parties, distributing Valentines, and treats, it's important to recognize its religious roots, and that not all members of our community may observe it. Additionally, due to serious allergies, our school has a no-candy policy in classrooms.

We got a similar message around Halloween. I can't help but get the feeling, based on these emails, that if I took up the teacher on one of these invitations to "share my culture" around Halloween or Valentines Day or any other secular take on a mainstream American holiday (e.g. Christmas), it would not be well-received. I am all for my kid learning and celebrating other cultures, but this feels like a double standard.

Frankly, I find it annoying that we not allowed to have any common celebration with these holidays. I remember Halloween and Valentines Day as some of my most fun in-school experiences and this feels like they are caving to an unreasonably intolerant minority. Obviously we can and still do invite classmates over to celebrate these holidays at home, but that is not quite the same.

Thoughts?

Yes American culture is being erased.
Please go vote for a different board this election cycle.
We deserve better.

What is American culture if not an amalgamation of multiple other cultures from around the world? American culture evolves as American society evolves. Get with the times.

America's culture is politics and government.
There increasingly isn't much commonality to hold its people together except the system the people live under.

You forgot money.

But the reason that there is nothing left to hold us together is that we have valued everyone else's culture over our own, and no because we have allowed academics and "revolutionaries" to tear down everything that used to bind us together. We are a multi-cultural experiment, the likes of which has never occurred in history. It is unlikely that the country survives the experiment.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I wouldn’t admit it out loud but I agree OP. I have a bunch of virtue signaling liberal/lefty friends with “in this house we believe…” signs who trip all over themselves to schedule events around people fasting for Ramadan yet are openly contemptuous of people doing similar things to observe Lent. It’s so clear they’re doing it strictly because it makes them feel superior to other less culturally aware white people, they have no interest at all in sincerely supporting a diverse array of spiritual practices.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tell if I am being unreasonable to be annoyed here--

DC is in elementary school that frequently touts the beauty and joy of "sharing your culture." At one point, parents were invited in to "share an activity from your culture." As a result of that invitation, my kid brought home a little lantern they made in celebration of Diwali.

And yet, when it comes to mainstream secular holidays like Halloween or Valentines Day, we get emails like this:

Valentine's Reminder

As Valentine's Day approaches, let's be mindful of our school community's inclusive approach to celebrations. While the holiday is often celebrated with parties, distributing Valentines, and treats, it's important to recognize its religious roots, and that not all members of our community may observe it. Additionally, due to serious allergies, our school has a no-candy policy in classrooms.

We got a similar message around Halloween. I can't help but get the feeling, based on these emails, that if I took up the teacher on one of these invitations to "share my culture" around Halloween or Valentines Day or any other secular take on a mainstream American holiday (e.g. Christmas), it would not be well-received. I am all for my kid learning and celebrating other cultures, but this feels like a double standard.

Frankly, I find it annoying that we not allowed to have any common celebration with these holidays. I remember Halloween and Valentines Day as some of my most fun in-school experiences and this feels like they are caving to an unreasonably intolerant minority. Obviously we can and still do invite classmates over to celebrate these holidays at home, but that is not quite the same.

Thoughts?

Yes American culture is being erased.
Please go vote for a different board this election cycle.
We deserve better.

What is American culture if not an amalgamation of multiple other cultures from around the world? American culture evolves as American society evolves. Get with the times.

America's culture is politics and government.
There increasingly isn't much commonality to hold its people together except the system the people live under.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So tell if I am being unreasonable to be annoyed here--

DC is in elementary school that frequently touts the beauty and joy of "sharing your culture." At one point, parents were invited in to "share an activity from your culture." As a result of that invitation, my kid brought home a little lantern they made in celebration of Diwali.

And yet, when it comes to mainstream secular holidays like Halloween or Valentines Day, we get emails like this:

Valentine's Reminder

As Valentine's Day approaches, let's be mindful of our school community's inclusive approach to celebrations. While the holiday is often celebrated with parties, distributing Valentines, and treats, it's important to recognize its religious roots, and that not all members of our community may observe it. Additionally, due to serious allergies, our school has a no-candy policy in classrooms.

We got a similar message around Halloween. I can't help but get the feeling, based on these emails, that if I took up the teacher on one of these invitations to "share my culture" around Halloween or Valentines Day or any other secular take on a mainstream American holiday (e.g. Christmas), it would not be well-received. I am all for my kid learning and celebrating other cultures, but this feels like a double standard.

Frankly, I find it annoying that we not allowed to have any common celebration with these holidays. I remember Halloween and Valentines Day as some of my most fun in-school experiences and this feels like they are caving to an unreasonably intolerant minority. Obviously we can and still do invite classmates over to celebrate these holidays at home, but that is not quite the same.

Thoughts?

Yes American culture is being erased.
Please go vote for a different board this election cycle.
We deserve better.

What is American culture if not an amalgamation of multiple other cultures from around the world? American culture evolves as American society evolves. Get with the times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

This will not be the case in the future. Young Jewish women are too smart to decide to go into education when there are so many better jobs available to them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

I wish we would have a longer break in the winter and stay open for Rosh Hashanash, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Lunar New Year, Passover, and Eid. This year, at least Diwali was a school day.

If students within those populations want the day off, it should be an excused asbsence for them. I say this as a member of one of these groups.

Also, Valentine's Day and Halloween are definitely school dependent. One of my kids went to a CES, and that school did not celebrate Halloween during the school day. They had a fall festival during school, and Halloween was an after school Friday evening event in the school cafeteria. Our neighborhood school had a Halloween party and parade with costumes.

Both schools had in-school Valentine's Day celebrations.

MCPS doesn't close for Passover. Sometimes Passover overlaps with spring break, which always includes the days before and after Easter.

It did this year, 2024...school was closed on April 22...weeks after spring break, March 25-April 1.

It obviously would not during years where it falls within spring break.

April 22, 2024 was the "asynchronous learning" makeup day.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/mcps-news/2024/02/async-learning/

The 23-24 calendar has it as a professional day for teachers/no school for students. It is b/c of Passover.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

I wish we would have a longer break in the winter and stay open for Rosh Hashanash, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Lunar New Year, Passover, and Eid. This year, at least Diwali was a school day.

If students within those populations want the day off, it should be an excused asbsence for them. I say this as a member of one of these groups.

Also, Valentine's Day and Halloween are definitely school dependent. One of my kids went to a CES, and that school did not celebrate Halloween during the school day. They had a fall festival during school, and Halloween was an after school Friday evening event in the school cafeteria. Our neighborhood school had a Halloween party and parade with costumes.

Both schools had in-school Valentine's Day celebrations.

MCPS doesn't close for Passover. Sometimes Passover overlaps with spring break, which always includes the days before and after Easter.

It did this year, 2024...school was closed on April 22...weeks after spring break, March 25-April 1.

It obviously would not during years where it falls within spring break.

April 22, 2024 was the "asynchronous learning" makeup day.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/mcps-news/2024/02/async-learning/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

I wish we would have a longer break in the winter and stay open for Rosh Hashanash, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Lunar New Year, Passover, and Eid. This year, at least Diwali was a school day.

If students within those populations want the day off, it should be an excused asbsence for them. I say this as a member of one of these groups.

Also, Valentine's Day and Halloween are definitely school dependent. One of my kids went to a CES, and that school did not celebrate Halloween during the school day. They had a fall festival during school, and Halloween was an after school Friday evening event in the school cafeteria. Our neighborhood school had a Halloween party and parade with costumes.

Both schools had in-school Valentine's Day celebrations.

MCPS doesn't close for Passover. Sometimes Passover overlaps with spring break, which always includes the days before and after Easter.

It did this year, 2024...school was closed on April 22...weeks after spring break, March 25-April 1.

It obviously would not during years where it falls within spring break.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

I wish we would have a longer break in the winter and stay open for Rosh Hashanash, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Lunar New Year, Passover, and Eid. This year, at least Diwali was a school day.

If students within those populations want the day off, it should be an excused asbsence for them. I say this as a member of one of these groups.

Also, Valentine's Day and Halloween are definitely school dependent. One of my kids went to a CES, and that school did not celebrate Halloween during the school day. They had a fall festival during school, and Halloween was an after school Friday evening event in the school cafeteria. Our neighborhood school had a Halloween party and parade with costumes.

Both schools had in-school Valentine's Day celebrations.

MCPS doesn't close for Passover. Sometimes Passover overlaps with spring break, which always includes the days before and after Easter.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the Islamaphobes whom said they would pull their kids out of school if their kindergarteners learned that Muslims kneeled and said God is great, what part offends you? I mean, do they know that Christians go to church and take communion or Jews to to synagogues and pray? I promise you your kids are not going to convert if they learn about Muslims. They might end up more *gasp* tolerant though.

The problem in some (not all) cases is that they don't teach comparable things about Christians, Jews, and even atheists. Certain schools and certain teachers seem to have granted Islam special status by nature of Muslims being perceived as "oppressed"

Public school product here and child of Asian immigrants.
I didn't learn a thing about any religion nor their history. I didn't understand the divisions within Christianity, the significance of Martin Luther, Judaism, not a thing about Jewish pogroms in Europe, Islam and the Crusades.
All I knew was that the Jews were blamed during WWII (not given any context as to why). Wasn't aware there was a Catholic / Protestant animus. Didn't know that Muslims worshipped a different God.
I only became aware of this stuff when reading some of the "Great Books" canon in college. Boy did I feel like a rube.

I got the sense that non-Asians were exposed to this stuff at home with off the cuff references. Even if they didn't share a religion, they were all in a loose cultural club that often brushed up against one another and that gave them exposure to each other.
I came away with a strong notion that a half year long class in world religions might do some good, especially for the children of immigrants who decide to settle in this Judeo-Christian society. Because that's the framework that shaped the values of western society so maybe some context would be good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.

I wish we would have a longer break in the winter and stay open for Rosh Hashanash, Yom Kippur, Diwali, Lunar New Year, Passover, and Eid. This year, at least Diwali was a school day.

If students within those populations want the day off, it should be an excused asbsence for them. I say this as a member of one of these groups.

Also, Valentine's Day and Halloween are definitely school dependent. One of my kids went to a CES, and that school did not celebrate Halloween during the school day. They had a fall festival during school, and Halloween was an after school Friday evening event in the school cafeteria. Our neighborhood school had a Halloween party and parade with costumes.

Both schools had in-school Valentine's Day celebrations.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Schools are closed on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because the schools could not function due to how many staff absences there are. It's not out of respect for Jewish holidays, just logistics.

Should we ban closure for Christian holidays? Students can have excused absences on Christmas, but everyone else should continue learning.