Yeah it is the winter break...with the good-bye salutation of have a Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year thrown-in for good measures. I guess, the days off near Thanksgiving is the unofficial "Fall break" and we just celebrate that day because everyone has to eat. *shrugs* Spring Break is around Easter and Summer Break is around July 4th, got it.

Doors were decorated, parties were held, assemblies, pageants, plays, bulletin boards reflected the holidays and life goes on. Matter of fact many of the athletic departments are allowing their sport teams participate in various Christmas tournaments. Ooops I meant Holiday tournaments. Wouldn't want the Farrakhan to be upset with me for not recognizing Muslims.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole idea of ignoring all cultural traditions instead of learning about all of them is pretty myopic. How is it being respectful of diversity to ignore it? Is it the end if the world- no. Is it a missed opportunity to improve a kid's cultural competence - yes.

Ignoring all cultural traditions? No, it's observing the law against government sponsored religion.

If that's the case, why do is there a two week Christmas vacation? If everybody's so against celebrating Christmas, this week two vacation should be abolished.

Stop being facile. It is not a "Christmas vacation." Technically, it is a "Winter Break," and one that is unnecessarily long. I attended a parochial school back intbe day and we typically never missed more than five or six school days. In any event, Christmastide celebrations and gift giving can be traced to the ancient rites associated with the winter solstice related celebrations by Egyptians and Sumerians (Rebirth of Horus, Battle of Marduk) of which were passed onto the Greeks and Romans (Saturnalia). The Yule tree and evergreens in general which is banned the Bible, has its roots in neopagan Germanic tribes, but was adopted in modern times by Queen Victoria. Snowflakes are pagan symbols of love and reindeer and mistletoe have particular significance in ancient Celtic customs associated with fertiiity and abundance. Merry Christmas.

I enjoyed various holiday events throughout the course of my schooling (concerts, holiday parties, decorations, etc.). They also had programs during Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian Pacific Month, etc. The one that will always stick out to me the most is when I attended Deal (in the 90's). We had an annual Holiday program that covered Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and holiday traditions from other countries.

My DC attends a charter that although it is diverse, doesn't really touch on any holidays or learning about new cultures. Although it makes me a bit sad, I've learn to accept their position and allow myself the opportunity to expose my child to traditions and cultures outside of school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole idea of ignoring all cultural traditions instead of learning about all of them is pretty myopic. How is it being respectful of diversity to ignore it? Is it the end if the world- no. Is it a missed opportunity to improve a kid's cultural competence - yes.

Ignoring all cultural traditions? No, it's observing the law against government sponsored religion.

If that's the case, why do is there a two week Christmas vacation? If everybody's so against celebrating Christmas, this week two vacation should be abolished.

Well, as Christians who celebrate for 14 days -- Christmas Eve through Epiphany -- we are grateful that the secular "winter break" coincides so nicely with Christmastide.

Incidentally, the DCPS "spring break" coincides with Holy Week and Easter in 2014. Unfortunately, this means that we can't go away for spring break in 2014.

Anonymous wrote:Oh please with your "PC war on all things holiday"... I promise, the children will turn out to be whole people without a flipping Christmas pageant. If you think they need more recognition of the holidays than they are getting in school - do it on your own time.

I agree, PP. We are Christians. We worship regularly. Our kids attend Sunday school and are members of the choir. We're at church 6 to 8 hours a week most weeks and more during Advent.

It doesn't bother me that there is so little recognition of Christmas at their DCPS. I'd rather that they learn about Christmas at church.

Atheist here - umm, doesn't everyone deserve a vacation? Teachers, kids, etc. I don't mind that its at the holidays at all... Now, this business of the 7th being off. THAT I'm a little bitter about.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole idea of ignoring all cultural traditions instead of learning about all of them is pretty myopic. How is it being respectful of diversity to ignore it? Is it the end if the world- no. Is it a missed opportunity to improve a kid's cultural competence - yes.

Ignoring all cultural traditions? No, it's observing the law against government sponsored religion.

If that's the case, why do is there a two week Christmas vacation? If everybody's so against celebrating Christmas, this week two vacation should be abolished.

I'm torn about this, we happen to attend a DCPS that handles the holidays in a positive and inclusive way. Lots of discussion about everyone's different faith and traditions.

As an ATHEIST (who has a tree - we refer to it as our evergreen tree) I use this as an opportunity to discuss with my kids the respect we have for people of faith, the fact that there are so many different beliefs with rich histories, as well as why we don't practice a religion ourselves but that we do believe in the common themes thatbrun through the holidays which are love, family, being good to one another, and charity.

However, I can see how that could quickly become a slippery slope if I or the the school handled it poorly into a feeling of isolation in my children. And, I'm not sure even our progressive school would welcome my coming in to give a sermon on why I don't think God exists.

If you want to instruct in cultural education, which I think is very valuable, you don't need to do it only during the holidays. I think it's better for all to wary on the side of omission rather than discrimination. Religion proper, is for houses of worship or home, it's not for schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the whole idea of ignoring all cultural traditions instead of learning about all of them is pretty myopic. How is it being respectful of diversity to ignore it? Is it the end if the world- no. Is it a missed opportunity to improve a kid's cultural competence - yes.

Ignoring all cultural traditions? No, it's observing the law against government sponsored religion.

I'll have to tell my atheist parents who have a Christmas tree and my mother in law who hasn't seen the inside of a synagogue in years but gives my dd dradle for Chanukah. I guess i think that learning about what people celebrate by being allowed to talk about it in school. doesn't seem to be endorsing a specific religion. When I was a kid, I remember talking about lots of different holidays in school. I certainly never thought discussions with kids my age that celebrated different holidays than me was the school sponsoring religion.

People believe different things. I think that teaching kids early, by showing rather than just saying, that this is a ok, and even positive, thing is a good idea.