Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I completely agree with you. American holidays are not valued by mcps, but international holidays are, which is incredibly sad.

American holidays: the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day.

Come on, you know the only one of those that would be celebrated in schools is MLK Day.

Evidently you don't have kids in MCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I completely agree with you. American holidays are not valued by mcps, but international holidays are, which is incredibly sad.

American holidays: the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day.

Oh come on, Halloween is a far bigger holiday in the U.S. than Presidents Day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you too, OP. If I were to move my family to India, I absolutely would expect them to celebrate Diwali in school. Or for it not to be taboo. Why can’t the same be said for Halloween and Valentines?

I am a longtime teacher. Almost every child I taught whose parents kept them out on Halloween was African American. They weren’t people who moved their families to this country, they were part of a uniquely American culture.

I find that really surprising. Any idea what their issues with Halloween were?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I completely agree with you. American holidays are not valued by mcps, but international holidays are, which is incredibly sad.

American holidays: the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day.

Come on, you know the only one of those that would be celebrated in schools is MLK Day.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you too, OP. If I were to move my family to India, I absolutely would expect them to celebrate Diwali in school. Or for it not to be taboo. Why can’t the same be said for Halloween and Valentines?

I am a longtime teacher. Almost every child I taught whose parents kept them out on Halloween was African American. They weren’t people who moved their families to this country, they were part of a uniquely American culture.

I agree OP. In my opinion, Valentines and Halloween are American celebrations that are only very loosely tied to religions. Growing up, every religion (except Jehovah’s Witness) celebrated them and they were just fun class parties. Now we are trying too hard to be PC and are not making anyone happy.

Honoring and learning about other cultures is fantastic, but we should not need to erase the American customs to do that.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I completely agree with you. American holidays are not valued by mcps, but international holidays are, which is incredibly sad.

American holidays: the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day.

OP, I completely agree with you. American holidays are not valued by mcps, but international holidays are, which is incredibly sad.

Anonymous wrote:This is a classic example of the double standard that often exists in our society. On one hand, we encourage children to embrace and celebrate different cultures, but on the other hand, we're quick to shut down any celebration that doesn't fit within the narrow confines of what's considered "politically correct." It's as if the powers that be are afraid that if we allow children to celebrate Halloween or Valentine's Day in the traditional way, it will somehow offend someone or cause harm. But the reality is that these holidays have become a part of our culture, and trying to suppress them is not only unfair to the children who enjoy them, but it also sends a message that our society is becoming more intolerant and closed-minded. Of course, we need to be mindful of different cultures and beliefs, but that doesn't mean we have to eliminate all traces of our own traditions. We can find a way to celebrate both our own culture and the cultures of others, without feeling like we're being forced to choose one over the other. And let's not forget that these holidays are not just about candy and parties. They're also about community, family, and the joy of sharing and giving. By trying to eliminate them from our schools, we're depriving our children of the opportunity to experience these positive aspects of our culture. So the next time you receive an email like this, don't be afraid to speak up and challenge the double standard. Let's work together to create a more inclusive and tolerant society, where everyone can celebrate their own culture and traditions, without feeling like they have to suppress their beliefs.

Namely: lighting bonfires (or overturning outhouses if you want to be newfangled), and attending mass.

This is a classic example of the double standard that often exists in our society. On one hand, we encourage children to embrace and celebrate different cultures, but on the other hand, we're quick to shut down any celebration that doesn't fit within the narrow confines of what's considered "politically correct." It's as if the powers that be are afraid that if we allow children to celebrate Halloween or Valentine's Day in the traditional way, it will somehow offend someone or cause harm. But the reality is that these holidays have become a part of our culture, and trying to suppress them is not only unfair to the children who enjoy them, but it also sends a message that our society is becoming more intolerant and closed-minded. Of course, we need to be mindful of different cultures and beliefs, but that doesn't mean we have to eliminate all traces of our own traditions. We can find a way to celebrate both our own culture and the cultures of others, without feeling like we're being forced to choose one over the other. And let's not forget that these holidays are not just about candy and parties. They're also about community, family, and the joy of sharing and giving. By trying to eliminate them from our schools, we're depriving our children of the opportunity to experience these positive aspects of our culture. So the next time you receive an email like this, don't be afraid to speak up and challenge the double standard. Let's work together to create a more inclusive and tolerant society, where everyone can celebrate their own culture and traditions, without feeling like they have to suppress their beliefs.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you too, OP. If I were to move my family to India, I absolutely would expect them to celebrate Diwali in school. Or for it not to be taboo. Why can’t the same be said for Halloween and Valentines?

Because unlike in India - where the Hindu nationalists are in charge - the Christian nationalists are not (yet) in charge in the US?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I too feel slightly annoyed by this trend, but I dealt with it by throwing an over-the-top Halloween party for my kids whole class. Think about all the annoying rules the school has and then savor the joy of breaking them all in the comfort of your own home with the company of your kid's class.

How is you doing something at home breaking a school rule? Home parties that kids can attend or not attend based on their preference without missing instruction seems like the obvious solution.

Only someone with a constant victim mentality thinks having a party at home is "sticking it" to the school...

Geez, people, I was being facetious... I guess that did not come across

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I too feel slightly annoyed by this trend, but I dealt with it by throwing an over-the-top Halloween party for my kids whole class. Think about all the annoying rules the school has and then savor the joy of breaking them all in the comfort of your own home with the company of your kid's class.

How is you doing something at home breaking a school rule? Home parties that kids can attend or not attend based on their preference without missing instruction seems like the obvious solution.

Only someone with a constant victim mentality thinks having a party at home is "sticking it" to the school...

I agree with you too, OP. If I were to move my family to India, I absolutely would expect them to celebrate Diwali in school. Or for it not to be taboo. Why can’t the same be said for Halloween and Valentines?

Anonymous wrote:I too feel slightly annoyed by this trend, but I dealt with it by throwing an over-the-top Halloween party for my kids whole class. Think about all the annoying rules the school has and then savor the joy of breaking them all in the comfort of your own home with the company of your kid's class.

How is you doing something at home breaking a school rule? Home parties that kids can attend or not attend based on their preference without missing instruction seems like the obvious solution.