Does this bother anyone else?

Question

When I was in grade school we were allowed to celebrate Halloween. Now, public school kids can't dress up anymore because some religions are offended. I think that bollocks! If those parents don't celebrate Halloween, keep your children at home on October 31st or whenever the school would have costume day. Why do they have to ruin it for the rest. We let them into our countries and how do they repay us? My making us change our Western traditions.

Some grade schools can't even decorate for Christmas now!!

That should read "by making us" not "my" hehehehe

I have been informed by my dad who works for the school board here, that it is up to the pricipal if they can celebrate or not. But still, we should not feel obligated not to. =(

As for prayer in schools: I don't think there should be prayers in public schools. It's actually not allowed in Ontario.

That's a good point about not being allowed to celebrate Chistmas in public schools if prayers are not. Good counter point. But Halloween is for the children.

Thank you for the input! =)

Answer 1

Seems totally bonkers to me. The lunatics are in charge of the asylum.

Answer 2

Yep, we should have Halloween. Christmas too. I don't get offended when it's a Holiday for anyone else, do whatever you want is my way of looking at things. Just don't hurt anyone or yourself, other than that; go nuts if you feel you have to. Being dictated to about what is, was; or should be; just rubs me the wrong way. I'm tolerant to everything, so what the heck! I want Halloween, I want it in schools too; I pay property tax; Large! Enough that I want to see some Christmas lights and a Christmas tree in the schools as well! I've never seen any Kid turn down a present at Christmas or not scarf back a wack of Halloween candy if it was around; no matter what the heck they believed at home. In fact there's no way when all that candy goes on sale the day after Halloween people who believe all sorts of different things aren't buying it! Look around the mall on boxing day, or last minute shopping before Christmas, everyone from everywhere is buying crap; it's a national frenzy; people who subscribe to other faiths are into it too! Enough already with the nonsense, don't like Christmas and Halloween; stay home that day.

Answer 3

What I think is a better idea than eliminating some celebrations would be to add more celebrations from other cultures. In the multi-cultural graduate school I attended, we celebrated new years and festivals from every culture represented amongst us , and, yes, it seemed like there was a party going on all the time, but it was a wonderful way to learn more about others and an opportunity to eat all kinds of ethnic food.

I really enjoyed those years and being able to participate in these holidays, even though I realized I did not fully understand all that they symbolized to those native to those cultures.

I emerged no less a Christian from this experience, and I would like to think that these experiences helped me to be more tolerant and accepting of others.

Perhaps grade schools and parents might want to think about it from this approach, but I realize that many are resistant and feel threatened by new and different traditions and beliefs.

Answer 4

In the US, personal dress that is within the dress codes and is religious in nature can not legally be prohibited. This would include any such halloween costumes that comply with the dress code of the school.

The dress codes can not arbitrarily be changed just to inflict harm on a particluar religion or religions. Halloween can be claimed to be a religious holiday, just as can Christmas, etc.

The rub is that schools can not promote such activities without violating the 1st Amendment. But spontaneous adherence by students is also protected by the 1st Amendment, which includes prayers to the extent they do not violate school policies (and policies can not be made for the sole purpose of providing an avenue for such things either or for restricting them).

In other words, if the school policies are 100% secular in nature, any activity that complies with them can neither be promoted nor prohibited. That is the intent of the 1st Amendment.

Answer 5

Halloween is tricky, but it pretty much is a secular holiday now. A small percentage of people still celebrate it religiously, but that's amongst Pagan traditions, and there's nothing evil about it. I have never seen Halloween celebrated religiously in a public school or in any public sphere. I don't know why the Christians get so huffy when any holiday that isn't Christian is celebrated with many public places have been doing Christian holidays for a very, very long time.

I think as long as all of the holidays are acknowledged, then it's okay. I love all holidays, especially if I get the day off from school or work! Food and the cultural celebration is great. When holidays are secularized, and no one is shoving religious propaganda down my throat I have fun!

In Head Start, they celebrate all of the holidays. They do everything from Hanukkah to Diwali, and from May Day to Halloween!

Answer 6

You're right..this offensensitivity is getting a bit much! I say lets celebrate all the holidays! That's what they're there for --Celebration! Besides, it'd give our children a well rounded look at other cultures. I loved dressing up for Hollowe'en and still do(and it's not just because of the chocolate bars). Children should have a good time instead of worrying who they're offending.

Answer 7

Halloween celebrations may upset some Christian families, and Christmas celebrations may upset Pagan or Atheist families.
It is unfortunate but it is really the only way to keep problems to a minimum. There is already so much controversy over the separation of Church & State.

Blessings )O(

Answer 8

This is rather hilarious. I'm sitting here reading all the answers and it amazed me how many of you are in an uproar over this. Some say blame the government, blame the christians, blame the non-christians, blame the muslims, the athiests....Geez people what next? These are our children, you have a choice to put them into public school where state and church are separate, or you can choose to put them in a school of your faith. If you are willing to count on the schools to teach your children beliefs, then I can see what the fuss is about, but if you don't...let it go already. God didn't put us here to fight with one another, I believe the bible says to love one another.

Can't we all just get along?

Answer 9

I don't know where you live but where I am Halloween celebrations at public schools was stopped by Christians. They claimed the kids were dressing as vampires and witches and such and it was not proper. Of course where I live Harry Potter books have also been banned in public elementary schools because they "glorify witchcraft."

Answer 10

It's just another perversion of our laws perpetrated by the political correctness crowd. A sensible person might guess that Halloween couldn't be celebrated because it might offend Christians that children would go around dressed up like the devil or something like that. But it turns out that the rule came because they were worried about offending members of the Wicca religion since witch costumes often had things like warts and deformed noses and hideous faces. Go figure! The Wiccans said they didn't care one way or another but in their efforts at mind control and their desire to denigrate Christianity the liberal left steamed on ahead!

Answer 11

I know really when I was little we were aloud to dress up and everything else. And last Halloween i was babysitting and a note from the kids school said for the Holidays the children can not dress up.