Now they're going after Halloween

[okeydokey]

Ya'll seriously have Christmas parties? Do your kids go to a private school?

My kids' elementary school (public) still had a Christmas play about Jesus and sang religious songs. It has been about 6 years since my youngest was in elementary school, so not that long ago. I always wondered how they got away with it.

 

[amberpi]

My kids' elementary school (public) still had a Christmas play about Jesus and sang religious songs. It has been about 6 years since my youngest was in elementary school, so not that long ago. I always wondered how they got away with it.

Yeah, that's just a bit shocking to me, simply because I can't imagine it being allowed. Live and learn

ETA: FWIW, I grew up in the 80s-90s and we never had religious celebrations. We had "holidays," so hearing about Jesus in public schools is just foreign to me. It would have been neat to learn about ALL the holidays, vs. learning about none.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Yes, I also was under the impression that Christmas parties were banned in US public schools.

That's probably because you buy into the nonsense and hysteria of the fake wear on Christmas.
We still have Holiday parties here and yes that includes Christmas, although in a mostly secular way (more Rudolph than Christ) The holiday singing thing (can't remember what they call it, Holiday Program?) does involve various songs which traditionally are associated with various non secular holiday traditions.
The kindergarten has an egg hunt at Easter.

And yup this is in MA which apparently is anti Halloween because two of the many elementary schools don't want to deal with the hassle that comes with an elementary school costume parade.

 

[NYCgrrl]

At DGD's school run by the Quakers/Friends, they are allowed to wear costumes to school on Halloween, and have a school parade at the end of the day. Thanksgiving is called such on the school calendar, and the December holidays are called just that. Despite her school being run by a religious group, they are open to attendees from other religions and beliefs and the children learn what Hanukah, Ashura, Kwanzaa, Bodhi and Christmas ( as well as some other religious observances that she keeps teaching me about, LOL) means now and then. Some of her classmates wear hajibs, others yarmulkes (boys and girls), and one or two of the Christians, long dresses or skirts.
I love the progressive and all encompassing atmosphere and truly think if all took to the time to learn more of other religions the world would be a better place.

I don't recall being allowed to wear costumes to school in the "bad ol' 60's". Heck, girls, weren't allowed to wear pants until I was in jr h.s.
I seem to recall that my kiddos didn't wear them to school either and think that remembrance is accurate since I oft times was still making their costumes when they came home from school. I do know that my oldest nephew (about 6 years younger than my youngest) wore costumes to school though.

 

[msjprincess]

Now that I think about it, we were never allowed to wear costumes to school when I was a kid. No parties, no parades. I started Kindergarten in 1970.

 

[sam_gordon]

My kids' elementary school (public) still had a Christmas play about Jesus and sang religious songs. It has been about 6 years since my youngest was in elementary school, so not that long ago. I always wondered how they got away with it.

Probably because the "tyranny of the minority" hasn't said anything.

 

[cabanafrau]

I know when my daughters were in middle and high school choirs the winter term concerts occasionally included Christian and Jewish holiday songs as part of a culturally diverse program. This was in the public school system. I also remember them learning about Diwali in elementary school as another cultural experience.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

That's probably because you buy into the nonsense and hysteria of the fake wear on Christmas.
We still have Holiday parties here and yes that includes Christmas, although in a mostly secular way (more Rudolph than Christ) The holiday singing thing (can't remember what they call it, Holiday Program?) does involve various songs which traditionally are associated with various non secular holiday traditions.
The kindergarten has an egg hunt at Easter.

And yup this is in MA which apparently is anti Halloween because two of the many elementary schools don't want to deal with the hassle that comes with an elementary school costume parade.

The war on Christmas is quite real. We shall hit them with the Happy Holidays Howitzers. We even conscripted none other than Private Tim Tebow for this purpose when he wished Denver Happy Holidays in a commercial a few years back. We shall snare them with Santa Claus, and we will make them Shop till they Drop on Black Friday. See. We've even infiltrated thanksgiving through our control of K-mart. Now they're all opening on Thanksgiving. Mwahahahhhaha. Our propaganda wing has lined up the usual children's Christmas Specials (We call em that but they're really happy holidays specials) plus some new specials with washed up country stars to bore the other side into complacency. And we have infiltrated every corner of Christmas. They love our Pagan fertility trees. We even got the government to put warnings on the lights so our 5th column tree brigade won't electrocute themselves or let their children chew on em and get lead poisoning. And we've taken down the leading general of the other side. That's right. We sent female spies into Faux, who all knew what they were getting into, to sucker ole loofa boy into sexually harassing them. Our special thanks to the Wiccans. Nobody hunts like witches hunt. Nobody. And the good thing is when they're caught and burned at the stake, they don't die. They just cast a spell to make everyone think they did. Mwahahahaha. Face it Christmas. It's over. Surrender must be immediate, and unconditional. KWANZA SHALL RULE!!!!

Oh and in completely unrelated matters, we keep the Martians under wraps too.

 

[luvsJack]

My mom still teaches and they haven't had holiday specific stuff since about the time I was a kid. I'm super surprised.

Well, I would have said maybe it's because I am in the south but others have said they still have them too so I guess not! lol

DD was in choir all through jr. high and high school and they had a Christmas program each year. Mostly Christian songs. The choir director also liked them to learn songs in other languages so sometimes these songs would be for other winter holidays. Just depended on the year and the song. But it was always very much a Christmas program although they do have a new administration now so that could be changing.

When she was in the lower grades, the k-3 teachers all had a huge holiday celebration together and called it "Holidays around the World". Each room represented a different country and would have foods and decor and somebody dressed up in some kind of traditional garb for the kids to learn about how the holidays were celebrated. It just depended on the country as to whether it was Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or what ever. The last room for all of them was the USA and then they had their Christmas party.

 

[amberpi]

Well, I would have said maybe it's because I am in the south but others have said they still have them too so I guess not! lol

I was raised and I'm back, in the south, so that information was just surprising. Nothing attached to it, but I just couldn't think of a school my mom or 2 of my 3 besties teaching at having a "Christmas" party. My mom even makes sure her thank yous for holiday gifts don't say "Christmas," so you can understand why I was "What the front door" about it.

 

[AppleDumpling]

It's still celebrated in my town. The elementary kids wear costumes to school, have class parties, a parade around the building, and a Halloween carnival in the evening. Many of the teachers do Halloween-themed lessons and crafts. There are some rules for costumes: no weapons allowed, no masks (but they can wear full face makeup), and no long clothing that touches the floor, for safety reasons.

In MS and HS, some kids wear costumes, some don't. Some of the teachers and staff dress up as well, even the principal. The yearbook always has a page of Halloween photos.

 

[penn19]

I used to love our Halloween parties when I was in elementary school. Back in the day you could actually have candy. It was a normal day until lunch time and either you could go home and change into your costume or change at school. I do remember we had a family that was Jehovah Winess and they would go sit on the playground while we had our party. I can't imagine that flying in this day and age.

 

[mom2rtk]

I used to love our Halloween parties when I was in elementary school. Back in the day you could actually have candy. It was a normal day until lunch time and either you could go home and change into your costume or change at school. I do remember we had a family that was Jehovah Winess and they would go sit on the playground while we had our party. I can't imagine that flying in this day and age.

We still have parties AND candy here. I guess we like living on the edge.

 

[penn19]

We still have parties AND candy here. I guess we like living on the edge.

Our schools did away with candy a long time ago. I'm in a different region now from where I grew up. Here? A bottle of water, goldfish and grapes. Woohoo! Party on, kids!

 

[IAHFTPT]

Our schools did away with candy a long time ago. I'm in a different region now from where I grew up. Here? A bottle of water, goldfish and grapes. Woohoo! Party on, kids!

I bet carving the jack o lantern faces into the grapes is a real challenge.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

I don't support their attitude, but I can certainly see why they feel like the holiday is exclusionary. However, I sure as heck don't think the school should cancel the holiday to accommodate their kids.

All holidays are going to be exclusionary to at least 1 person. Shall we ban them all?

 

[amberpi]

We still have parties AND candy here. I guess we like living on the edge.

Is it nut free? Dairy, etc.? You guys are living dangerously!

 

[DisneyOma]

Oops - sorry, deleting

 

[rastahomie]

All holidays are going to be exclusionary to at least 1 person. Shall we ban them all?

Well if you ask my friend and his wife, yes, except the Christian ones (ignoring that some of them are based on pagan traditions).

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Well if you ask my friend and his wife, yes, except the Christian ones (ignoring that some of them are based on pagan traditions).

As Don King would say, "Only in America."