Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 10:13     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Halloween is in the evening.
Yes it’s cultural but has nothing to do with education.
Keep them separate.


That's not the tradition. In our culture we dress up for school, kids and teachers. We have parades and parties. That's American culture.


I’m 46 - we did not dress up at school and if there was a Halloween party during the day I don’t remember it. The American Halloween experience is trick or treating in the evening. It’s distracting during the school day and so many kids are left out for so many reasons.


I'm 43 and went to a MCPS elementary school and we had a Halloween parade during school hours followed by a classroom party each year of elementary school. It was pretty much my favorite day of the year.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 10:12     Subject: Re:Halloween SICK OUT
Anonymous wrote:I do find the aversion and censoring of Halloween in MCPS elementary schools to be very odd. Getting to dress up for the day and having Halloween classroom parties was a fantastic experience for me as a kid.


It’s extremely weird.

Halloween is a big part of American culture and it’s a fun part of childhood. It’s sad that MCPS is taking that away from kids.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 09:55     Subject: Re:Halloween SICK OUT
I do find the aversion and censoring of Halloween in MCPS elementary schools to be very odd. Getting to dress up for the day and having Halloween classroom parties was a fantastic experience for me as a kid.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 09:53     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Anonymous wrote:If your school refuses to celebrate Halloween because students in the school believe it's a satanic holiday, then I say we should call a massive sick out, tomorrow and every year that our culture is being blatantly disrespected and remains undefended. We bend over backwards to make sure MCPS is all about inclusion yet when our own culture is wrongly accused of satanism we just say, "You're entitled to your opinion" instead of educating them that NO, Halloween is NOT about satanism. Why is that okay?

Halloween is a part of American culture. It is NOT satanic. As an employee of MCPS I'm not even allowed to wear so much as a Dr Seuss hat to celebrate my own cultural tradition. That is BS. I'm calling in sick in revolt!! Please join me!


Whatever are you prattling on about.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 09:52     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why Valentine's Day is allowed outside of the Family Life and Sexuality policy umbrella. Why are our kids being subjected to group displays of romance?


Don’t worry. Our Focus elementary school also banned Valentine’s Day celebrations at school.

Sounds like the wealthier schools do still celebrate Halloween and Valentine’s Day.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 09:02     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Anonymous wrote:It’s not just Halloween. Elementary school used to be about fun and making sure kids had the building blocks. When I went to University, we were told that the most important thing that we could do as a teacher was to teach kids to love learning. When I first started my career, at least 75% of kids wanted to be elementary school teachers because of all the fun extras. Now it is just worksheets and work. Kids are dragging their heels. I can’t remember the last student who wanted to become a teacher. So it’s not just Halloween, but today does contribute to the overall feeling that there are no special events and no just fun days. It’s sad.


That’s what I’m noticing too.

My daughter is in a MoCo private school. They have great academics, but also have Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and winter holiday parties. They celebrate birthdays.

Parents volunteer to help with the parties. I’ve worked at them. Are they a little chaotic? Yeah, of course. But it’s 1 hour at the end of the day and the kids love it. So we do it.

Today, my daughter’s 2nd grade class will have a Halloween party. They’ll watch the kindergarten put on their annual Halloween show.

None of it takes away from the academics. It simply injects some joy into the day.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 09:02     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Obvious troll post. No MCPS employee would prioritize their inability to wear a costume to work over educating children. OP, learn the difference between your personal lived experience and culture.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:57     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
It’s not just Halloween. Elementary school used to be about fun and making sure kids had the building blocks. When I went to University, we were told that the most important thing that we could do as a teacher was to teach kids to love learning. When I first started my career, at least 75% of kids wanted to be elementary school teachers because of all the fun extras. Now it is just worksheets and work. Kids are dragging their heels. I can’t remember the last student who wanted to become a teacher. So it’s not just Halloween, but today does contribute to the overall feeling that there are no special events and no just fun days. It’s sad.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:52     Subject: Re:Halloween SICK OUT
Our MCPS ES now has an incredibly lame "fall festival" observance for like 75 minutes at the end of a non-Halloween-adjacent school day. No costumes.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:51     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Name the schools! I don't believe you.


Rock Creek forest, Rock view, Oakland terrace, highland, rosemary hills, woodlin, takoma, ESS, highland view, sligo creek, glen haven...


Thank you! I work at one of these and it’s weird that people don’t believe us.

My kid who’s in college now went to Rosemary Hills and there were Halloween parades and parties then.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:36     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
I grew up right here in Montgomery County. Went to elementary school in the 80s. We had Halloween parties, and parades through the close neighborhood of the school.

My kids are now in mcps and within their elementary school years, the school phased Halloween parties out in favor of fall festivals. They also no longer celebrate Valentine’s Day because it’s “religious”.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:34     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Anonymous wrote:Nah. I'm annoyed that Halloween has turned into a month-long thing. I'd be fine if we went back to the days of trick-or-treating for an hour, having a couple pumpkins on the porch as decoration and that's the whole thing.


Weird comment to post night before Halloween.
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:32     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
I don't understand why Valentine's Day is allowed outside of the Family Life and Sexuality policy umbrella. Why are our kids being subjected to group displays of romance?
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:30     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Where are all the hot daytime Halloween parties for everyone too cool for school?

Is OP hosting?
Anonymous
Post 10/31/2024 08:28     Subject: Halloween SICK OUT
Get a life, OP

Or, since it's Halloween, get a death 💀👻