Holiday Decorations in Public School - Writers Forum

OncePossesed · 10-03-2007, 06:57 PM

Recently the local (Chicago) papers have been reporting about an elementary school in the south suburb of Chicago Ridge. The school, Columbus Manor has recently decided to exchange their Halloween and Christmas festivities for Fall and Winter season ones. This has come as a result of a Muslim mother asking to put up Ramadan decorations for the 30% Muslim population of the school. The mother's request, given at a PTA meeting, was denied and she asked why Christmas decorations were put up for the Christian children while Ramadan decorations for Muslim children couldn't be shown.

After the meeting, an angry mother made some prejiduced comments about Arabs in front of the school. An argument between her and another Arab mother ensued and much commotion has come as the result.

Eventually, the school board decided to exchange their religious celebrations for seasonal ones. A great deal of students and parents at the school are now acting in racial hostility towards the Arab/Muslim students and parents.

What do you think the school board should['ve] do[ne] to resolve the problem? Should they allow Muslim and Christian children to decorate for their holidays? Or should they stick with seasonal decorations? Which choice do you think would be best for the students? the school? the PR?

Mike C · 10-04-2007, 01:20 AM

The school should have pulled it's head out of it's backside and celebrated Ramadan.

Hodge · 10-04-2007, 01:41 AM

Seasonal decorations. Once you get into respecting every religion, then you have to do so. And that doesn't work when someone like me comes around and demands to put up pictures of human sacrifice, ritual orgies, and customs from 100 other religions up.

So respect none of them.

Wai · 10-04-2007, 02:44 AM

I think:

1) A public school shouldn't celebrate any religious frestival. My reason is that public school should stick to the common grounds of society beyond religions. Schools should have a mission to teach the children cultivate their passion and connections to the reality.

2) I have an opinion on how the school should celebrate a seasonal frestival. If it were just about decorations and having a party, I would oppose it also. Because I think that it is wasteful. I think better forms of celebration would be field trips or community service. Traditionally, there is a celebration in autumn because that was the main harvesting season. Many farms are no longer safe (pesticides) for children to go nowadays. If they were never connected to the farming process, they cannot genuinely celebrate a harvesting season. In their subconscious mind, they will receive the lesson that celebrations are just excuses to have fun, fun is all that matters, all that people look forward too, fantasy and imaginations are fun, it is perfectly okay to celebrate something that I've made no contribution to, and everything else, like reality, just suck. My view is that in order to celebrate something, the children should be connected to what they celebrate. An Autumn celebration would work well if the campus had its own orchard trees. In Spring, I supposed you can celebrate by planting small trees. Winter is traditionally quite inert. I suppose that would be a good time to celebrate arts, writings, and planning for the future year.

playstation60 · 10-04-2007, 01:32 PM

Wow, and people wonder why we've taken religion out of schools. That is the entire point. If you allow one, you have to allow the next, and the next.

The school probably did about the best thing, aside from doing the right thing and allowing the decorations. That decision to change from religious to seasonal was as neutral as you could get, even if the motivations were racial.

Nicco · 10-04-2007, 01:35 PM

Religious holidays should NEVER be celebrated in public schools in America. Period.

JoannaMac · 10-04-2007, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

The school should have pulled it's head out of it's backside and celebrated Ramadan.

I agree. Since thirty percent of the school was Muslim, this would have been an excellent opportunity to learn more about Muslim culture. We did it at school when I was a child. We dressed up in traditional clothes even had days where parents cooked for our class so we could try the different kinds of celebratory foods they eat.

If you're going to be impartial, then Christmas shouldn't be celebrated in schools either. This would take the fun out of things a bitI should imagine. I really enjoyed singing Christmas songs at school etc You can't cater to every religion of course, but what's wrong with celebrating the major ones like Christmas, Hannuka, and Ramadan?

Nicco · 10-04-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

what's wrong with celebrating the major ones like Christmas, Hannuka, and Ramadan?

Religion in the nation's public schools has been ruled unconstitutional numerous times by the courts. Celebrate on your own dime in your own time.

alanmt · 10-04-2007, 04:27 PM

I would like to know why the mother's request was denied. That seems to have been an unfair decision. I agree with Nicco, public schools shouldn't be celebrating religious holidays. However, if they are actually doing so, they should absolutely apply their policy fairly, to all religions of attending students.

If the students and parents should be angry at anyone here, it is at the PTA Board for not acting fairly in the first place and giving equal treatment to all, and at the ignorant woman making racist remarks against Arabs, which escalated the matter to where action had to be taken.

The entire situation might have provided the students with a learning experience about different religions and cultures.

JoannaMac · 10-04-2007, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanmt

I would like to know why the mother's request was denied. That seems to have been an unfair decision. I agree with Nicco, public schools shouldn't be celebrating religious holidays. However, if they are actually doing so, they should absolutely apply their policy fairly, to all religions of attending students.

If the students and parents should be angry at anyone here, it is at the PTA Board for not acting fairly in the first place and giving equal treatment to all, and at the ignorant woman making racist remarks against Arabs, which escalated the matter to where action had to be taken.

The entire situation might have provided the students with a learning experience about different religions and cultures.

Sounds like a fair assessment to me.

Writer Kitten · 10-04-2007, 05:11 PM

Around here, they have the "seasonal decorations" thing. They even have a "Learn about religion" day once a year. I offered to come in and speak about the symbolism aspect of many of the common things found in Christian holidays, and about their historical significance.

I was told no, after I presented my outline, because they said that teaching the children that the Roman "appropriated" Christmas on its current date from conquered peoples, was incorrect information and was "biased against Christians."

Thoth · 10-04-2007, 07:04 PM

when I was in school, we didn't worry about decorations offending people.
There are 3 ways to look at this-
is it "teaching" religion if you put up Halloween decorations?
Why not put up all kinds of symbols when Christmas rolls around?
Should teachers stick to non-religious lessons and kids miss out on fun?
(kids should have fun, and adults have no right to take it away).

OncePossesed · 10-04-2007, 07:31 PM

I agree with most of the posts here that it's most fair to stick to the seasonal decorations. As far as I understand, most parents are objecting because they'd like their kids to take part in all the fun of the holidays. If that truly is the case, then I completely agree with JoannaMac's idea of celebrating all the major religions.

Now that it's been settled that the school will stick to seasonal festivities, and the racism seems to be escalating, a few students in my grade at school (I attend an Islamic High school- a madrassah if you will) are planning on sending carnations to every student in the school, with a little note "from your Muslim neighbors." We hope it'll open up a few eyes and let them see that we're not all that bad and hopefully the students will begin to treat the other Muslim children more kindly. What do you think? What are your opinions on this type of approach?

Wai · 10-04-2007, 07:51 PM

Re:

The concept is of gift-giving is good but I don't think it could be well received, especially if the gifts are sent directly to the students instead of the parents. The parents wouldn't see it as an act of reconciliation but influence. In their mind, you should go through them before reaching their children. When you bypass them, you are disrespecting their role as their guardian. They would feel that you are treapassing if you send gifts to their kids. They would think that the Muslims are sneaky, trying to brainwash their kids.

I have a hard time picturing the aftermath.

How about just the carnations but without the notes?
My reason is partly off-topic: I don't suppose in the long run the notes would be properly recycled.

Shawn · 10-04-2007, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Writer Kitten

I was told no, after I presented my outline, because they said that teaching the children that the Roman "appropriated" Christmas on its current date from conquered peoples, was incorrect information and was "biased against Christians."

I don't see what is so biased about pointing out that Religion was modified to make it politically correct for Egyptians...

My how things tend to repeat themselves....

I don't agree with removing religion from public schools, just for the fact that we should celebrate our differences and accept them... not hide them away and be ashamed.