Now they're going after Halloween

[Marchand63]

Nope. The last place we want to be is in ridiculous traffic on the roads leading into Salem. What ever happened to that flyover that was mentioned a few years back?.

Best route go Brimbal Ave exit and come in the back road

We weren't planning to, but does the Salem Chamber of Commerce know you're disinviting a number of potential visitors?

Yeah not thinking the 10 or 15 who HATE Halloween will make much difference. Guess we'll have to make due with the quarter million who do show up - Oh that's just actually 31st. Salem sees more than a million people over the course of the month, and raise lots of money for charity. We just had the MDA Witch City MC ride - over 5000 participants.

The Main Spot is the nickname for the Old Main Street Pub - best lobster ravioli ever.

 

[IAHFTPT]

Wow Candy Man...I mean Dinoloung...I mean WW...you've done a bang up job with this one.

 

[sam_gordon]

You keep mentioning the teachers but honestly who cares what they want. The class parties are about the kids, not the teachers.

Spoken as someone who doesn't have to worry about organizing the costumes and making sure the kids are all looking good.

And lets not forget, they're still having the parties. So what exactly are the kids missing out on?

Last but not least, if it's "about the kids", don't you want ALL kids participating?

 

[wonder whisper]

Nothing to do with embracing any minority.

Tell that to that to the gracious Jewish members of our Christmas band, who thank us every year for letting them share their talent during key, visible moments of the the holiday season in our community.

'In a message to parents the school principal says, “…the costume parade is out of our ordinary routine and can be difficult for many students. Also, the parade is not inclusive of all the students and it is our goal each and every day to ensure all student’s individual differences are respected.”'

The administrator's claims would be salient if they were buttressed by specifics as to how a costume event is so difficult for the proverbial unspecified group of "some" students, As for being " not inclusive," does that excuse other activities at schools that generally do not accord every student with "respect for their uniqueness" such as sports, performance events, contests, yada yada yada?

Yes, I understand the aspiration to manage school experience so no child ever feels like their "uniqueness" is not being a "proper" level of attention.

But reaching absolute perfection there is an an unobtainable goal and worse, that "participation prize" mindset does not prepare children for the way life really works.

 

[Shanti]

Historically, attempts to ban or limit the celebration of Halloween have pretty much been minor, isolated ones where a house of worship made some noise about it. Or a neighborhood association put formal limitations on the hours allowed for trick or treating.

But now municipalities in MA are getting on that bandwagon, as two school principals there decide Halloween has to go, because is not "inclusive" and can be "difficult" for some students. In one it will be replaced by "Black and Orange Spirit Day" and the other by some vaguely defined "community day event" in November.

Thankfully, the municipalities involved in banning Halloween do not include Salem. The local chamber of commerce there would have a collective heart attack if anyone even hinted at the idea of "cancelling" that holiday

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/10/17/walpole-elementary-school-cancels-halloween-parade/

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/09/29/needham-elementary-school-cancels-halloween-festivities/

The reason it's been verboten for most of my teaching career is that fundamentalist religious groups didn't like us celebrating a pagan holiday. Even though I'm a Christian, I always thought that was stupid.

This has been going on for at least 15 years, though (since I started teaching), so I don't get the "Now" part of the thread title.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Best route go Brimbal Ave exit and come in the back road

Maybe next year Salem four advertise this route?

 

[wonder whisper]

The reason it's been verboten for most of my teaching career is that fundamentalist religious groups didn't like us celebrating a pagan holiday. Even though I'm a Christian, I always thought that was stupid.

This has been going on for at least 15 years, though (since I started teaching), so I don't get the "Now" part of the thread title.

Thank you for the context. I guess what is new is that there is more visible media attention to the subject. No surprising given the "I am offended by" (insert name of historical figure, film, type of music, flag, holiday, monument, behavior of professional athletes, products, etc." environment we are now in.

 

[msjprincess]

The reason it's been verboten for most of my teaching career is that fundamentalist religious groups didn't like us celebrating a pagan holiday. Even though I'm a Christian, I always thought that was stupid.

This has been going on for at least 15 years, though (since I started teaching), so I don't get the "Now" part of the thread title.

Do you think perhaps that is a product of perception rather than objective reality? As has been pointed out here, schools all over the country have been making these same changes for many years... but it is a news story brought to this board for discussion when it happens in a "progressive" state. No one seems to care when midwestern or southern schools yield to pressure from book-burning fundamentalists and took the "demonic" holiday out of the schools, or when pragmatic administrators simply decide that having kids come in/change into costumes is too much hassle and move the Halloween parties to after school.

It's been happening in other "progressive states" for years. I went to school in NYC, my kids go to school in the suburbs of NYC. None of us were ever allowed to wear costumes to school. I don't remember having Halloween parties at school at all. My kids had Fall Harvest parties. For the life of me I have no clue why on earth this is a news story. Its so ridiculous.

 

[DisneyOma]

I believe there's a war on Christmas, a war on Halloween and we've just seen there's a war on Columbus Day. I think there's a war on many things that are a cherished part of American culture and traditions. Ok, knock yourself out flaming away...

Cherished by some, not others. Not a flame, just saying that the USA is made up of many different groups of people, and we all don't celebrate the same thing. "America" means so many different things to so many different people. I mean, Jewish people in the US don't think of Christmas as a cherished part of their US culture, right? I don't believe there should be "a war" against some traditions (but maybe a few should be rethought - like Columbus Day? That one is just a political joke) but I also think people should accept that not all people are the same. I think tolerance (and no religion in public school, unless it's a religious comparison class) should be taught.

Oh man, exaggerate much.

By the way Halloween is not a holiday.

Wasn't there a poster that started one of these threads every year around this time, Candy something?

Halloween is a holiday in many Wiccan homes. I can take the four sun days and the four cross quarter days off from work. But since I celebrate those days in the evening, I don't need to be out of work to worship.

 

[RedAngie]

I miss these Halloween commercials

 

[kaytieeldr]

You keep mentioning the teachers but honestly who cares what they want. The class parties are about the kids, not the teachers.

You mean sam_gordon keeps referencing/quoting the news report? What the teachers request makes sense.

Tell that to that to the gracious Jewish members of our Christmas band, who thank us every year for letting them share their talent during key, visible moments of the the holiday season in our community

How does having good manners equate to embracing the minority? Plus, many minorities are protected classes.

The administrator's claims would be salient if they were buttressed by specifics

Why? The School Administrator doesn't answer to any of us, unless you have a child in one of the two schools.)

as to how a costume event is so difficult for the proverbial unspecified group of "some" students,

Again, why? Could very easily be economic. Sure, it could be religious., which is wby one school (not entire city, just school) is having the party after school, and the other school (again, single school, not city) changed the name and date of the celebration.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

MY daughters school about 5 years ago still had holoiday concert. They would sing holiday songs of all denominations. A christmas tree and santa would show up at end. He would give out candy canes to all the kids. I don't remember if kids wore costumes on Halloween.

 

[amberpi]

I was talking to my 40+ year and still teaching 6th grade mom about this thread. She said that in her county some of the holiday decisions were based around liability issues, costumes, easter eggs, candy, just became too problematic. Their winter holiday has Santa, but nothing religious as she teaches at a pretty diverse school. Easter they do another spring fair, instead of carnival.

Some of the liability issues regarding Halloween came from costumes being too long, or unweldy, and kids getting hurt, she said the worst thing that ever happened was a broken arm from tripping on a long hem. Not a huge deal, but still, more risk. They got rid of candy being brought in by parents/students and now supply it because of allergies issues (she now gives her kids jolly ranchers, sour patch kids, swedish fish, etc., basically candy which has no dairy/nuts and is gluten free/vegan, she has a larger list though those are just ones I see her buy the most often), no hay rides or hay in the school because of allergies, but they have games with prizes like halloween/fall pencils with crazy erasers, sticky hands, tattoos, etc. Easter is pretty much the same as a spring fair. Their Winter celebration has been more frosty/snow themed for a long time. I thought that all seemed very rational and inclusive, and still pretty fun.

She also teaches, or has (same school since 1991), when the school went peanut free when a child had a serious peanut issue. I don't think that's the case right now, just when the kid who had life threatening allergy was enrolled.

ETA: Mom doesn't live in a progressive state, and lord, she teaches out in the country. The parents have been shockingly good about wanting to include everyone, in holidays and I know when the school had to do away with peanuts the teachers were concerned it might cause problems. Nope, apparently, the other parents were fantastic and would do everything they could to make sure that little girl was safe. They also came up with funny dress up, but no costumes, for the week of Halloween. They have to be within dress code and no distracting accessories, like wings, no face covering, no hoodies pulled up (hoodies are fine but faces must be visible is a regular rule).

Another addition and I'll shut up! Mom also said for a while the kids could change into the costumes at school and that "a nightmare." She was done talking then. I think she was having flashbacks or something.

 

[tcufrog]

LOL, my daughter's dance studio is doing a Haunted Nutcracker this year for a local festival. She is the Sour Plum Fairy... and my husband is Neegan the Rat King, I had a lot of fun making his Lucille

Video or it didn't happen.

On other issues, it is other groups - for example, grandparents' day is now special person's day, in acknowledgment of the fact that many children don't have living or nearby grandparents to invite to school.

My kids' school has Grandparents and Special Friends Day. This year instead of Donuts with Dad in kindergarten they had Donuts with Dads and Dames since one of the kindergarteners has two moms. I like the idea of inclusion without erasing.

 

[declansdad]

You keep mentioning the teachers but honestly who cares what they want. The class parties are about the kids, not the teachers.

Who cares what teachers want? Really?

They are the people responsible for managing the classroom, probably planning the party and looking after the kids everyday. They are also the people who will bear the brunt of criticism if anything happens.

 

[amberpi]

LOL, my daughter's dance studio is doing a Haunted Nutcracker this year for a local festival. She is the Sour Plum Fairy... and my husband is Neegan the Rat King, I had a lot of fun making his Lucille.
View attachment 278384

That's awesome. Plain and simple. Its the only good part about Xmas combined with the only holiday I don't actively hate, Halloween. And your daughter as a Sour Plum Fairy? Precious! Now is @Soldier's*Sweeties would give us some Hei Hei pics, we'd be having a banner day on the CB.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

That's awesome. Plain and simple. Its the only good part about Xmas combined with the only holiday I don't actively hate, Halloween. And your daughter as a Sour Plum Fairy? Precious! Now is @Soldier's*Sweeties would give us some Hei Hei pics, we'd be having a banner day on the CB.

Ask and you shall receive:

 

[amberpi]

Ask and you shall receive:

View attachment 278419

Those face, with that little pink nose? *dies of cute*

Also your leggings are cute!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I do have to say I can't believe this is a news story. One elementary school canceling Halloween parties. Seriously?

In order to understand this "being news" you'd have to go way back to understanding Boston and its colonial roots: fiercely proud, willing to put lives on the line for independence, the start of the American Revolution and all that, and steeped in strong tradition ever since. It doesn't mean that we're not progressive, necessarily, because we absolutely are, but - put it this way - many people here don't like having things taken away from them.

That's as simple as I can get.

 

[sunshinehighway]

In order to understand this "being news" you'd have to go way back to understanding Boston and its colonial roots: fiercely proud, willing to put lives on the line for independence, the start of the American Revolution and all that, and steeped in strong tradition ever since. It doesn't mean that we're not progressive, necessarily, because we absolutely are, but - put it this way - many people here don't like having things taken away from them.

That's as simple as I can get.

Neither of these are big stories here though. I hadn't heard of either until this thread. It doesn't really seem like people are all upset over it.

The Walpole school has also cited safety concerns as a reason for the changes.