Getting Halloween Decorations Cancelled for Entire Class?

[brockash]

Sorry that’s on the parents in that situation. A winter party probably wouldn’t be ok either as it’s usually the celebrations that are prohibited, not observing particular holidays. I’m all for inclusivity but not at the detriment of the other kids. The other kids have just as much of a right to enjoy celebrating the holidays as that family does to refrain. If it’s their religion/culture, the parent needs to explain to their child why he/she is not allowed to participate since it’s their rules.

Nope...winter parties, fall festivals, dress up like ur favorite book character have never been an issue in the districts I've worked in. It really isn't that hard. A pp explained very clearly how they handled inclusiveness. It's just about being considerate of others. I personally am Christian and celebrate Christmas (and Halloween for that matter) but I am not so full of myself, ignorant nor insensitive enough to not be aware of others who believe differently or choose to be inconsiderate about it. It really is not hard to be kind and not entitled, but so many of us have seem to have forgotten we have the ability. School celebrations that can include all students is to absolutely 0 detriment to my (or any other) traditional child.

 

[LSUmiss]

Nope...winter parties, fall festivals, dress up like ur favorite book character have never been an issue in the districts I've worked in. It really isn't that hard. A pp explained very clearly how they handled inclusiveness. It's just about being considerate of others. I personally am Christian and celebrate Christmas (and Halloween for that matter) but I am not so full of myself, ignorant nor insensitive enough to not be aware of others who believe differently or choose to be inconsiderate about it. It really is not hard to be kind and not entitled, but so many of us have seem to have forgotten we have the ability. School celebrations that can include all students is to absolutely 0 detriment to my (or any other) traditional child.

Sounds good in theory, but where do you draw the line? What is fall vs Halloween? Does it matter just as long as you don’t call it Halloween? And what about those religions who are not allowed to have any celebrations? They have those too. I think it should be like the ada guidelines in that the school should make reasonable accommodations. Not allowing the majority of students to engage in something they enjoy because of the beliefs of one is not reasonable. Let the parents bite even. Entitled is expecting everyone to change things because of your beliefs when you’re the only one affected.

 

[sam_gordon]

Sounds good in theory, but where do you draw the line? What is fall vs Halloween? Does it matter just as long as you don’t call it Halloween? And what about those religions who are not allowed to have any celebrations? They have those too. I think it should be like the ada guidelines in that the school should make reasonable accommodations. Not allowing the majority of students to engage in something they enjoy because of the beliefs of one is not reasonable. Let the parents bite even. Entitled is expecting everyone to change things because of your beliefs when you’re the only one affected.

I agree with you... it comes down to "reasonable accommodations." Is not displaying a cardboard witch cutout "reasonable"? What would be "unreasonable" in your mind? Should the child just be allowed to go to another room (or out in the hallway as I was)? Is that "reasonable"? IMO, saying "keep the child at home" in order to avoid a party isn't reasonable (and according to the OP, the mother had an issue with the decorations being up for a month).

ETA: I think the appropriate thing for the mother to do would be to reach out to the teacher just after school starts. "Here's my issue, can we work through this?" You don't wait until the decorations are up and then complain.

 

[darnheather]

Freedom of religion means freedom from religion.

 

[Magical2017]

I'd be really surprised if they had a Halloween party. All the schools I've worked in over the last decade or so have specifically not been allowed to have Halloween parties.

It varies here. They currently have "fall" parties and some schools still do trick or treating/parades. Some schools have banned these celebrations. Others do what a pp stated and dress up as a book character. The school where my interns are currently based will have a parade and class parties. The teachers dress up as a group with a theme. They do a fall door decorating contest (some do football or autumn theming while others go all out for a Halloween theme). I am sure there are some schools where nothing will take place, all within the same county.

 

[LSUmiss]

I agree with you... it comes down to "reasonable accommodations." Is not displaying a cardboard witch cutout "reasonable"? What would be "unreasonable" in your mind? Should the child just be allowed to go to another room (or out in the hallway as I was)? Is that "reasonable"? IMO, saying "keep the child at home" in order to avoid a party isn't reasonable (and according to the OP, the mother had an issue with the decorations being up for a month).

ETA: I think the appropriate thing for the mother to do would be to reach out to the teacher just after school starts. "Here's my issue, can we work through this?" You don't wait until the decorations are up and then complain.

Yes I definitely agree with all of what you said. There is no need to be purposefully excluding. And when I was growing up & for DS now the school parties just consist of few fun activities & snacks. In fact, his school calls it “fall fest” not b/c there is an issue with Halloween. It’s just an alliterative fun name for it.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Freedom of religion means freedom from religion.

Now to that, I will say a huge Amen.

 

[sk!mom]

How fun for little kids . Thankful we can afford private school for DS.

Wow! Kind of rude since you don’t know me, how my room is decorated, or what kind of teacher I am.

Teachers are leaving in droves and young people aren’t entering the profession. The amount of personal money that people like you expect us to spend or we get a snarky comment is part of the reason.

I did not say, don’t have an attractive inviting room. I just said, I normalize not decorating for every holiday.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Wow! Kind of rude since you don’t know me, how my room is decorated, or what kind of teacher I am.

Teachers are leaving in droves and young people aren’t entering the profession. The amount of personal money that people like you expect us to spend or we get a snarky comment is part of the reason.

I did not say, don’t have an attractive inviting room. I just said, I normalize not decorating for every holiday.

What grade do you teach?

 

[LSUmiss]

Wow! Kind of rude since you don’t know me, how my room is decorated, or what kind of teacher I am.

Teachers are leaving in droves and young people aren’t entering the profession. The amount of personal money that people like you expect us to spend or we get a snarky comment is part of the reason.

I did not say, don’t have an attractive inviting room. I just said, I normalize not decorating for every holiday.

I am a social worker in an urban, very poor school district with a severe teacher shortage so I understand the issues. I apologize, but I thought your previous post made it sound like it wasn’t necessary for kids to have a welcoming classroom & that the material being studied was all that is important. I’m sorry that I misunderstood. And, ftr, I definitely don’t think a teacher should have to decorate for a holiday. But, in the discussion, the teacher already had & the parent wanted it removed.

 

[sk!mom]

What grade do you teach?

4th.

 

[sk!mom]

I am a social worker in an urban, very poor school district with a severe teacher shortage so I understand the issues. I apologize, but I thought your previous post made it sound like it wasn’t necessary for kids to have a welcoming classroom & that the material being studied was all that is important. I’m sorry that I misunderstood. And, ftr, I definitely don’t think a teacher should have to decorate for a holiday. But, in the discussion, the teacher already had & the parent wanted it removed.

Thank you.

My room is actually known As the “Mickey room” because it’s all red and black with polka dot curtains, a mickey head border, and Disney quotes in vinyl. All paid for by me because I want an attractive space for them and me. My money saver is not changing it. It’s been this way for years. I also do not change anything out for holidays.

That being said, it does get freshened up from time to time as people will gift me things that fit the room.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Thank you.

My room is actually known As the “Mickey room” because it’s all red and black with polka dot curtains, a mickey head border, and Disney quotes in vinyl. All paid for by me because I want an attractive space for them and me. My money saver is not changing it. It’s been this way for years. I also do not change anything out for holidays.

I have to give you mad props for teaching in the K-12 universe. I teach in higher ed and I thought that I had headaches. But you folks have to deal with parents, decorating your own room at your own expense, annoying superintendents, teaching to the test, the list goes on. Excellent work for being dedicated to your craft because there is no way in piekło that I could do it.

 

[lifesavacation]

The whole day of Halloween is such a distraction to learning. If schools cancelled celebrations to prioritize learning, I don‘t find that shocking at all. Parents can celebrate with their kids after school hours.

I am related to a school principal. With the support of the teaching staff, they chose to discontinue Halloween celebrations in the school. Some parents were furious and went to the school board. School learning can and should be fun, but it doesn’t need to be tied to Halloween for that to happen. I don’t get the uproar.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

The whole day of Halloween is such a distraction to learning. If schools cancelled celebrations to prioritize learning, I don‘t find that shocking at all. Parents can celebrate with their kids after school hours.

I am related to a school principal. With the support of the teaching staff, they chose to discontinue Halloween celebrations in the school. Some parents were furious and went to the school board. School learning can and should be fun, but it doesn’t need to be tied to Halloween for that to happen. I don’t get the uproar.

wow, you must be a lot of fun at a party. Halloween is celebrated for kids in schools because it's fun! I'm all about the learning too but the kids gotta let loose sometimes.

 

[alleighboo]

I'm a teacher and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I avoid this argument by leaving my Halloween decor up year round. Halloween isn't a holiday...it's a lifestyle

 

[lifesavacation]

wow, you must be a lot of fun at a party. Halloween is celebrated for kids in schools because it's fun! I'm all about the learning too but the kids gotta let loose sometimes.

I am actually a lot of fun at a party. And I’m not an educator. But it doesn’t take a Halloween party to make school fun. The kids can celebrate fall, or Dr Suess Day, or the myriads of other ways educators make learning fun. Inclusivity ranks higher for me than Halloween.

 

[Mirabell Rose]

I think everyone should send the teacher $20. Isn’t it enough that she/he has 20+ first graders to manage all day, has to teach them all no matter the level they are at, has to deal with all the kids who need special help or instruction or accommodations for disabilities that no six year old brings upon themselves, spends a ton of money out of pocket for anything needed for the classroom or extra activities or adapted instructional materials, etc, etc., etc. And the teacher likely has a bunch of student debt because they need at least a bachelor’s and in some states a master’s degree. Her/his peers who went into engineering make so many times over what the teacher makes for trying to figure out a machine - while a teacher had 20+ human brains to figure out (most complex machines there are)

But, you’re upset about Halloween decorations and that needs to be the priority for the teacher? Really? Really??? Maybe you should become a teacher. Then you can cancel the decorations for 1 parent, and deal with a whole bunch more mad parents. I’ll be the parent that keeps her mouth shut about stupid things because as long as you are kind to my child and teaches him/her, I let you run the classroom.

 

[fly girl]

I grew up with the mindset of your religion, race, gender doesn't mean a hill of beans. A good person is a good person.

Maybe because of my upbringing I see this differently.

Switch it up, say Hanukah was the celebrated holiday and Christmas was the background one. I know my parents, they wouldn't have pulled me from participating. They wouldn't have cared that the classroom was adorned with menorahs, dreidels, and colored in blue & white. They would have said go have fun and learn about another cultures tradition. I know, not all parents are like that. But I have to think a lot more are like that than not. Otherwise, these events would have been canceled eons ago. Maybe I am foolish to think this? That is quite possible.

That could be why I don't quite understand the adamance of canceling it all. Although I do realize winter holidays, Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa, are blatantly religious. IMHO, in public schools it should be an all or none scenario. (and to @sam_gordon, I can understand your stance. In your circumstance, a song and possible lone dreidel decoration to appease wasn't a solution.)

And again, maybe my naivety is showing, but in our current world I don't see Halloween and Valentine's Day as religious holidays. I really don't think the vast majority see those as religious. I hear every year people complaining that Valentine's Day is a made up Hallmark holiday (along with Sweetest Day, to which I 100% agree on that one - lol.)

Therefore, through my eyes, canceling all the fun for the majority who do not see (especially those two events of Halloween and Valentine's Day) as religious feels unfair.

It falls along the same lines of when you have permission slips for field trips or the sex education talk. If you don't want your child to participate, that is perfectly acceptable. But that is on the parents. I think pulling your kid from those classroom parties because you don't believe in them is fine. And you don't have to pull them all day, just the last 1-1.5 hours because that is when the parties are.

To me, canceling them all for the outliers feels like the knee jerk reaction.

 

[barkley]

it's been a million years ago but when i was in elementary school i attended with a handful of families whose religious practices including not celebrating all or certain holidays. with regard to halloween i don't ever remember any teacher deocorating for it. there would be pumpkins and fall leaves on the bulletin boards but nothing halloween related. we would have k-6 'halloween' celebrations and we could wear costumes. looking back on it i recall the kids who did not celebrate the holiday did not wear costumes but as far as the class parties went they were given the choice of staying in the classroom or going to the library (but i remeber the room mothers were very considerate-they would make separate non themed treats to offer to those who did not participate).

i was curious what my kid's former school does these days-looks like halloween is limited to k-5th as far as costumes and celebrations. i seem to recall it not happening in the upper grades b/c the teachers and admin staff said they did not want to waste instructional time 'policing' inappropriate costumes that clearly broke dress code rules (too many 'naughty nurses' and hooded armed ax murderers put and end to it that was supported by the parents some time before my oldest started there in '09).