Halloween canceled in IL schools to avoid offending Muslims?

Question

And also Christmas.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/578734,CST-NWS-oaklawn28.article

What are your thoughts on this?

Would you agree that multiculturalism is destroying aspects of American culture?

Some of your are dodging the issue mentioned in the question/subject. The focal point wasn't pork, it wasn't Christmas. It was Halloween. Look at the main question/subject: "Halloween canceled..." Look at the catagory: Holidays > Halloween.

Some of you are flat out denying reality.
"Nobody's going to take away our fun times."
They already have. The link proves this. It's a fact.

"How cam multiculturalism destroy American culture"
"That being said, how is it destroying "American culture"?"

By destroying American traditions in an effort to appease every culture.

Answer 1

To HELL with the muslims!!! If they don't want to deal with Halloween then keep their kids home from school the day of the party And on 10-31 keep their porch light turned off. How freaking simple is that?????????? Why in God's name should WE have to change to suit them?!?!?!? No one, & I DO mean NO ONE has ever been able to answer that one.

It's just like when I go to vote. I am never sure if I am voting for the President of the United States or the president of mexico becaause the ballot has spanish written all over it. If someone comes here, LEGALLY of course, & is unwilling to adapt to our ways then they can get the hell out of here. Be it learning english or NOT trying to controll OUR holidays!!!

Answer 2

What? wow wow hold on there. This is like an episode from Boston Legal.

I'm a muslim, a moderate muslim, and I love Halloween. It's just a silly holiday to have fun. It doesn't have any satanic meaning or what nots. I'm guessing those over-religious freakos are drinking the kool-aid again.

And about Christmas. It don't observe it, but I celebrate it too with my christian friends. Me and a couple of buds of mine dressed up as Santa for an orphanage a year ago, (and we chipped in money to by an Xbox 360 for em too. You shoulda seen their glowing faces) I think we should celebrate each others differences and drop our egos. Not banning other persons holiday.

Theres nothing wrong with being multicultural and being a true American at the same time. If you don't like how things are in America, just leave.

Answer 3

Multiculturalism vs. American culture is a difficult question... Is American culture truly the melting pot that we were all taught, or is it the White Christian "majority" that we all grew up with?

With such a large percent of students in that school being Muslim, I'm surprised that the issue hasn't gone further than Jell-O and Christmas.

Schools need to provide a suitable meal for all their students - vegetarian, kosher, halal, etc... and they must remain secular (remember the separation of church and state?). Halloween is a pagan holiday, but just like Christmas and Easter, it has secular value... where's the line?

I think its a tragedy that we've failed to make the argument for the secular value of traditional holidays in American schools.

Answer 4

Zatch is right,Halloween is just a harmless holiday.Any meaning it once had is lost and now it is just for fun.The funny thing is I went to school with a lot of Jewish people and never heard their parents screaming about removing pork from the menu.They just brought their own lunch.I know things have changed and if they want to remove pork products from the menu I have no objections,but people should realize that the main reason pork is used so much is because of cost,so you will probably be paying more in the end.I have friends who are Islamic and I don't eat around them when they are fasting and they come to my gatherings on my holidays.It's just a matter of respect for the other persons beliefs.

Answer 5

I am a Muslim. I utterly recognize some thing emotions you might have and I absolutely recognize your devout ideals. I suppose you're fully proper in considering that the limitations on meals in the ones colleges are needless. Just considering the fact that there's a Muslim populace in a university does now not imply meals that Muslims don't consume must now not be facet of the menu. The youngsters have each and every proper to consume jello or some thing else they desire. As lengthy as nobody is forcing Muslim youngsters to do the equal factor, I do not see the damage in that. You're proper that this can be a in particular Christian country. Most Europeans who came around right here had been Christian, and such a lot folks right here at present are the equal. But what I do not comprehend is while you say, "...they must recognize the faith of EVERYONE who attends the universities..." I absolutely accept as true with that announcement, however do not you suppose it is a little contradictory? How can all religions be revered if handiest Christian and Jewish religions are being determined at public colleges? Either notice all of them, or do not notice any. Halloween is on the finish of subsequent month, December is not till just about 3 months from now. What approximately the truth that Ramadan is being determined proper now by way of Muslims all over the place the arena? If you suppose looking at one faith and now not a further in public colleges is reasonable and respectful, permit me allow you to know the way improper you're. It's humorous while you point out the Constitution. You say freedom of faith is granted to all Americans. After America's founders migrated to America from Europe and created a brand new country, they grew to become Americans. That implies that anybody who involves America legally at present may also be viewed an American the next day to come. That's the strong factor approximately our nation, we be given folks from all over the place the arena, folks from extraordinary areas, with extraordinary recommendations, and extraordinary ideals. The Constitution applies to all people, adding all Muslims. How many Muslims have you learnt individually? If any, what number of of them are terrorists or are affiliated with terrorists? How many desire to vanquish and convert the arena? I individually have not ever met one. "We must get our freedom of faith again, and give up those forces from making us ashamed/responsible/frightened of expressing, working towards and celebrating our religion in public." I, as a Muslim, could not accept as true with you extra. You say you would be indignant and also you would rant, so what's it precisely that you simply did? And what do you intend on doing precisely? Using your bigoted phrases to make Muslims suppose inferior and evil? Well well good fortune with that. I, additionally might love to 'DO SOMETHING.' I'd love to inform you to open up your brain somewhat. Don't be so sour, relatively it simply makes me suppose unhealthy for you. I don't have anything towards you, and I might not ever deliberately harm any person else. I simply desire you'll be able to be taught to be given different folks who're extraordinary from you. Because in the event you observe, extremists and radicals all over the place the arena percentage the equal common ideology. They've not ever discovered to be given folks who're extraordinary, they usually additionally, determined to DO SOMETHING approximately it. And probably sean t can be taught a factor or 2 in conjunction with you.

Answer 6

It's ok to have multiculturalism, but try going to a Muslim country and tell them that their culture offends you and see if it changes.

Though in their defense, the person that spoke up didn't want it canceled and half of that school is Muslim.

Answer 7

The cancelling of the teaching and "playing around with" only ONE religious celebration in a school is actually a good decision in my opinion.

America's founded on multiculturalism. It has only grown stronger because of it. Why do you think we got as far as we did? We've had great minds coming from far and wide for these past couple of centuries (more if you consider colonial America), and we probably wouldn't be where we were if we hadn't opened up like we have.

That being said, how is it destroying "American culture"? It's stated quite clearly in the great old Constitution that there shall be a clear separation of Church and State. That hasn't stopped teachers from making Christmas activities almost mandatory in schools, but no one complained then. To be a fully Constitutional act, to teach the students about culture, they'd have to spend time with ALL religious holidays, not just a select few Christian ones. That's pandering out to one church's interests, which is unjust and unfair.

So technically, that school district is becoming truer to the framework established by our founding fathers.

It's also the school's duty to avoid offending students through what can be considered unfair/biased activities like that. It's hard to keep all of them content in all the lessons, but there's no need to expect one group of people of one religious faith to play to the interests of another group when valuable school time is being burned on arts and crafts and the history of the Catholic church.

People complain all the time about how their kids aren't learning in school. It's partially their fault, but it's also the school's fault for wasting time such as that. Every minute in class counts, and it should be spent for culturally educational purposes only. Not "reteaching the subject of Christianity and Christmas" every year like so many schools do now.

And finally, I'm usually opposed to people cancelling events or "getting offended and going on strike because of it" simply because of spoken actions. Our Constitution also provides for freedom of speech, and to respect free speech it's sometimes necessary to just keep your trap shut and be offended. But that's not the case in a school environment where equal education is the number one priority.

Good decision? YES.

Answer 8

Someone else asked this question today, so this is my c and p of MY OWN answer.

Before rushing to judgment, I'd ask you to consider this from the point of view of a Muslim, who in America, have exactly the same rights that every citizen has, and deserves every bit the same consideration that all Americans do.

Think of the most disgusting thing that you can imagine. Used tampons, rotting food, or whatever in particular seems to disgust you the most. Imagine, having schools serve it up on a lunch plate. Or even a lunch plate near you. Culturally, this is the place that pork holds. It is forbidden and as disgusting to them as used tampons or rotting food would be to us.

Now, to not trample on the rights of the others, I think the best solution would be to offer multiple dishes, so that they have something other than pork to eat as their main dish. However, please remain sensitive to the fact that even trying to eat near someone else who is eating pork would be very difficult and gorge inducing for them.

As for the other ceremonies such as Halloween parades, I would need to know vastly more information before I judge. Are they disbanning optional things, or things that every student would be required to participate in. Sometimes parades and things held during classtime, especially for youngsters, are demanding that everyone participate.

This issue is massively more complex than this article seems to give credit to, and furthermore, we really need to remember that muslims are just as American as we are, and are entitled to the same care and consideration that we expect. And before you judge to harshly, ask yourself how you would feel if your children were forced to participate in witchcraft ceremonies, Hindu worship, or a tea ceremony commerating Buddha. We cannot insist on our own rights not to be forced to participate in religious and other types of festivals and refuse others that same right.

The great thing about America is, is that it doesn't matter how many generations your family has been here, what color you are, what religion you are etc.. EVERYONE has equal rights.

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(No longer C and P dealing with specific aspects of your question) How cam multiculturalism destroy American culture. American culture by definition IS multicultural. Muslim Americans have just as much say in what defines American Culture as WASPS (White Anglo saxon et cetera)

Answer 9

It shouldn't be in schools anyway...schools are for working on obtaining an education.
Halloween has become a joke anyway, it used to be for kids, now grown people walk around ringing door bells for free candy....and most older people don't even bother to dress up. I also don't like the older kids using Halloween as an excuse to bully little kids and steal their candy.

...you are missing the point...schools have enough to deal with...Halloween can be celebrated outside of school.

Answer 10

I refuse to give up my culture because others do not believe in it. I do not tell others what God to pray to or what national Holidays they must celebrate. I will not stop saying Merry Christmas because it is not Politically Correct.