Anonymous wrote:I don't understand. This thread is very strange. One thing is a teacher bringing the bible in to school and reading it to the students or a teacher having everyone bow their heads in compliance to a prayer. But are we really complaining about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny as religious? When I was religious Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were banned in the house I grew up in. It was not until I escaped religion that I could be free to celebrate those pagan holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.

Nope, my kid is not being raised Christian. I’ve just been in DC schools long enough to understand the overall context. If you want your kids to celebrate Holi in school then YOU need to organize it. I’m sure the school will be excited to host you.

If you're celebrating Easter and Christmas, you are in fact raising your child culturally Christian.

You keep making this point, but I don't think any religious minority here is asking for our public schools to acknowledge our religious holidays. (Personally I'm not looking for that at all). We are largely expressing a desire, not a demand, just a desire, that no religious holiday be actively celebrated in a public school classroom.

+1. My kids' DCPS doesn't acknowledge our religious holidays, and I don't especially care. But like PP, it would be my preference to skip holiday celebrations period. There are so many fun things to celebrate that aren't related to a religion. Books, historical events, and just the changing seasons are cool when you're in elementary school.

But in the US, everything (including the literal school calendar) prioritizes Christian holidays and practice. It's inescapable. No one would suffer if schools ditched the Santa hats and Easter bunnies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.

Nope, my kid is not being raised Christian. I’ve just been in DC schools long enough to understand the overall context. If you want your kids to celebrate Holi in school then YOU need to organize it. I’m sure the school will be excited to host you.

If you're celebrating Easter and Christmas, you are in fact raising your child culturally Christian.

You keep making this point, but I don't think any religious minority here is asking for our public schools to acknowledge our religious holidays. (Personally I'm not looking for that at all). We are largely expressing a desire, not a demand, just a desire, that no religious holiday be actively celebrated in a public school classroom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.

Nope, my kid is not being raised Christian. I’ve just been in DC schools long enough to understand the overall context. If you want your kids to celebrate Holi in school then YOU need to organize it. I’m sure the school will be excited to host you.

If you're celebrating Easter and Christmas, you are in fact raising your child culturally Christian.

You keep making this point, but I don't think any religious minority here is asking for our public schools to acknowledge our religious holidays. (Personally I'm not looking for that at all). We are largely expressing a desire, not a demand, just a desire, that no religious holiday be actively celebrated in a public school classroom.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of supposedly tolerant people get their panties in a bunch when it comes to tolerating Christianity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At a school where most of the students are Spanish-speaking, it definitely seemed like the church-state lines were even further crossed over into including religious (Christian) holiday traditions. I didn't have my own objections, but I wouldn't like others to be unhappy or uncomfortable in their own community.

Hahaha. So Easter celebrations in public schools with Latino populations are OK, but unacceptable when the students are white? Do you hear yourself?

Anonymous wrote:At a school where most of the students are Spanish-speaking, it definitely seemed like the church-state lines were even further crossed over into including religious (Christian) holiday traditions. I didn't have my own objections, but I wouldn't like others to be unhappy or uncomfortable in their own community.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.

Nope, my kid is not being raised Christian. I’ve just been in DC schools long enough to understand the overall context. If you want your kids to celebrate Holi in school then YOU need to organize it. I’m sure the school will be excited to host you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.

Nope, my kid is not being raised Christian. I’ve just been in DC schools long enough to understand the overall context. If you want your kids to celebrate Holi in school then YOU need to organize it. I’m sure the school will be excited to host you.

Anonymous wrote:OP - it's clear most of the people responding are either Christian or not in a religious minority. You have every right to be bothered by this. Besides currently being Ramadan, Purim and Holi both fall before Easter.

I agree, whether this is actually a First Amendment issue likely depends on exactly what the activity was (it likely was not, i.e. Santa, menorahs, etc.). But you still have every right to be upset about it. When your kids come home home with FOMO about Easter and Christmas is hard. I don't care if they've been largely removed from their religious origins, I'm still trying to raise my kids to be proud about our own traditions, but when they're constantly exposed to Santa and Easter bunnies it's harder - an no, we will not voluntarily participate in even "Secular" aspects of those holidays.