Halloween being cancelled in Canadian schools

[Moonlight Graham]

If it were culture, we all would celebrate it (for the most part).

Who hands out the candy on Halloween night? Who buys pumpkins and decorates their houses?

I was in a bar last night and they had pumpkins and Halloween decorations out. Certainly not for kids. Adults also dress up and have costume parties and watch horror movies and other spirited events around this time. Celebrations like Halloween and Thankgiving are cultural customs.

[guyser]

Who hands out the candy on Halloween night? Who buys pumpkins and decorates their houses?

I dont.

Havent done it in many years. Many on my street dont bother either. No young kids yet.

So?

I was in a bar last night and they had pumpkins and Halloween decorations out. Certainly not for kids. Adults also dress up and have costume parties and watch horror movies and other spirited events around this time. Celebrations like Halloween and Thankgiving are cultural customs.

Been in three restaurants this week, all fairly high end. Not a single decoration to be seen.

Been in my office all week, not a single decoration to be seen.

Marketing for bars is the key here, not a damn thing to do with celebrating culture, but celebrating the almighty buck for sure.

We can go round and round, but the fact is a school.....a school ...has said nope, no more. We will teach instead.

With the number of scammy PD days , other stat holidays,summers off....maybe they need the tim e to teach?

[The_Squid]

Who hands out the candy on Halloween night? Who buys pumpkins and decorates their houses?

I was in a bar last night and they had pumpkins and Halloween decorations out. Certainly not for kids. Adults also dress up and have costume parties and watch horror movies and other spirited events around this time. Celebrations like Halloween and Thankgiving are cultural customs.

To say that it is not a Canadian cultural event is a bizarre reasoning. And to argue that because not every cultural event from every possible culture that exists in Canada is not celebrated, therefore we shouldn't celebrate a Canadian cultural event is equally bizarre.

do we get all the kids together for Ramadan festivities? Give me a damn break. Other cultures' festivals, ceremonies, and holidays have been banned from our schools since day one. We don't host them at all and in the working world they sure as hell don't get those days off with pay.

Canada has particular cultural events that are celebrated on a near-national scale. And many others that are regional. We don't stop celebrating a cultural event because not everyone wants to or because there are other events that Canadians in general don't celebrate.

Ramadan? So we shouldn't celebrate Halloween until we celebrate Ramadan? Truly a strange argument and one that leads to a mono culture of celebrating nothing in fear of a particular culture/religion being offended.

And no one gets Halloween off with pay.

[Moonlight Graham]

I'm sorry, do we stop holding classes and have a party for other religions/cultures festivals and holidays? Even the ones that aren't statutory, do we get all the kids together for Ramadan festivities? Give me a damn break. Other cultures' festivals, ceremonies, and holidays have been banned from our schools since day one. We don't host them at all and in the working world they sure as hell don't get those days off with pay. What a ridiculous argument, MG.

I never said schools should hold parties or stop classes. I'm saying if you want to dress up and go to school, I don't see the problem, especially since its been done for a long time in a lot of schools. If schools want to ban masks or big hats or other costumes that could obstruct kids or other students from learning, I get that and that would be fine. But I don't understand what's wrong with wearing a spider-man jump-suit or some makeup.

And you know what, screw this BS, if a teacher wants to take an hour and let the kids decorate the classroom, so be it. Nothing wrong with taking some time to have some good ol' fun of Canadian tradition. If some don't want to participate based on religious grounds, that's well within their rights. But i'm tired of Canadian culture (culture, not religion, which is different) being supressed because of PC nonsense.

[Guest American Woman]

I'm sorry, do we stop holding classes and have a party for other religions/cultures festivals and holidays? Even the ones that aren't statutory, do we get all the kids together for Ramadan festivities? Give me a damn break. Other cultures' festivals, ceremonies, and holidays have been banned from our schools since day one. We don't host them at all and in the working world they sure as hell don't get those days off with pay. What a ridiculous argument, MG.

Of course you don't get all of the kids together for Ramadan activities as that's not a Canadian cultural activity - which Halloween is. Halloween is a Canadian tradition. I'm sure in other countries they do get the kids together for Ramadan activities - and according to what Moonlight Graham has said, he wouldn't expect those countries to change that if he moved there - nor would he expect them to celebrate Halloween.

Edited October 10, 2013 by American Woman

[Moonlight Graham]

You know what, let's ban Valentine's Day too. No Valentine's to be given out because the fat ugly kids don't get many! No Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Years holidays off either because other cultures don't get ie: Chinese New Years or Hannukah off or whatever. Let's take out "all our sons command" out of Oh Canada because it's not gender neutral. Let's just take a dump on every tradition we know and appeal to every sensitivity humanly possible. RAGE!!!!

[guyser]

Of course you don't get all of the kids together for Ramadan activities as that's not a Canadian cultural activity - which Halloween is. Halloween is a Canadian tradition.

When did Canada and which Canadian invented Halloween?

Halloween is aboslutely 100% NOT a Canadian tradition. It may be a tradition in Canada, but it most certainly is not Canadian.

And why not let Ramadan activities, in some places it is the majority religion and culture of the kids who go there. Oh but if we let that happen......

Why are schools in the US banning it to ?

[guyser]

You know what, let's ban Valentine's Day too. No Valentine's to be given out because the fat ugly kids don't get many!

No complaints from me !

(teachers only allow cards to be handed out if all kids get them)

No Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Years holidays off either because other cultures don't get ie: Chinese New Years or Hannukah off or whatever.

Religious holidays are here to stay, thankfully since I am an atheist I want some time off

We shut down half my office for Chinese New Year around lunch hour. The Chinese offie we run here gets shuttered. And why not, all their clients are off too !

Once again.....NO ONE IS BANNING NOR CANCELLING A DAMN THING !

Let's take out "all our sons command" out of Oh Canada because it's not gender neutral. Let's just take a dump on every tradition we know and appeal to every sensitivity humanly possible. RAGE!!!!

Relax

Yes we should change the name and make it more inclusive.

We changed it last century, it used to be in all our doth command. So lets change it back . In other words, tradition changed a long time ago and it was no dump on anything.

Traditions by and large change all the time. Turkeys at T-giving where never pale fleshed colour. We invented that.

Thanksgiving was our tradition , the Americans copied it. Now many countries celebrate it but not with a day off like we do.

Tradition is meant to keep in the spirit of the day. Hand out candies and apples and pennies for UNICEF (do they still?)It is not meant to be hard and fast rules

Your rage is not commensurate with the harm.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Guyser2

[Boges]

It's interesting/hypocritical that schools will try to ban these events because they think it's unfair for less fortunate students yet they allow mobile devices in schools and are constantly sending notes home for fundraising efforts like Pizza Days.

I still remember having a kid in one of my classes who's parents couldn't afford pizza days. I would have felt more embarrassed about that then not being able to have a kick-ass costume.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Boges

[Boges]

I don't hate women or anything but . . . "in all our doth command" sounds absolutely stupid. I'd rather it say "all our peeps command"

[guyser]

I don't hate women or anything but . . . "in all our doth command" sounds absolutely stupid. I'd rather it say "all our peeps command"

Fine by me !

The point was it has been changed, numerous times, but changing it now is paramount to an attack on CDN values.

[Mighty AC]

I don't hate women or anything but . . . "in all our doth command" sounds absolutely stupid. I'd rather it say "all our peeps command"

While we're at it maybe dog could keep our land glorious and free.

[Boges]

Fine by me !The point was it has been changed, numerous times, but changing it now is paramount to an attack on CDN values.

I'm ambivalent but historically "man" has been an inclusive term for both sexes. People are just looking to find offense at stuff.

You see "actresses" calling themselves actors nowadays. No one seems to mind that.

I won't care either way but it just seems people are finding slights everywhere when there aren't any.

[Moonlight Graham]

Your rage is not commensurate with the harm.

My perfectly focused rage is aimed at several Canadian schools (could be more?) cancelling Halloween for ridiculous reasons, and anyone that supports it. First its a few schools, then there will become more no doubt. Most of the schools In North America, from what I've read, that have cancelled Halloween in recent years have done so because of sensitivities regarding the "religious overtones" of Halloween and offending people of other religions. This is ridiculous because Halloween has become secularized in Canada, the US, and elsewhere. How many children are aware of the pagan roots of holiday when they dress up as Spongebob and get candy?

[G Huxley]

Here fireworks got banned so Halloweens pretty much dead as it is.

[guyser]

I'm ambivalent but historically "man" has been an inclusive term for both sexes. .

I get that.

But the word in contention is 'sons' which isnt inclusive. I too am with you, change it leave it alone, either way, I sleep just fine.

[guyser]

My perfectly focused rage is aimed at several Canadian schools (could be more?) cancelling Halloween for ridiculous reasons, and anyone that supports it. First its a few schools, then there will become more no doubt.

So what? The kids go home, put on an outfit and voila...Halloween is ready to go.

Its not like its banned from life.

Most of the schools In North America, from what I've read, that have cancelled Halloween in recent years have done so because of sensitivities regarding the "religious overtones" of Halloween and offending people of other religions. This is ridiculous because Halloween has become secularized in Canada, the US, and elsewhere. How many children are aware of the pagan roots of holiday when they dress up as Spongebob and get candy?

It started from a religious base, and if some principals have an issue with that, as per the Supreme Court has said, then fine.

Schools increasingly are being shortchanged time and money, perhaps this can get the ball rolling the other way.

[Guest American Woman]

My perfectly focused rage is aimed at several Canadian schools (could be more?) cancelling Halloween for ridiculous reasons, and anyone that supports it. First its a few schools, then there will become more no doubt. Most of the schools In North America, from what I've read, that have cancelled Halloween in recent years have done so because of sensitivities regarding the "religious overtones" of Halloween and offending people of other religions. ....

Should Halloween Be Banned From Schools?

It doesn't sound as if religion is the basis for banning it.

[Moonlight Graham]

Should Halloween Be Banned From Schools?

It doesn't sound as if religion is the basis for banning it.

Well, I googled news articles about Halloween being banned in US and the 3 or 4 I looked at all mentioned religious reasons. I realize the educational loss, and that's a more valid reason to limit activities. But it's only at most half a day gone for a once a year holiday that is one of 2 holidays kids get really excited about during the year. I'd understand if it were not allowed because of those arguments, I could live with it, I just would lean to the side that says giving them a couple of hours for social fun once a year isn't a big deal. Maybe the kids could even choose between either not have their parties, or have their parties and giving up recesses for them.

I don't remember having parties at school, so that's not a requirement to celebrate Halloween at school anyways. But kids would dress up and go to school, and spend 1 hour decorating their classroom (which has an art component, and therefore has educational value). Banning all Halloween activities and especially all dressing up is the part I think is a joke.

[Guest American Woman]

After reading your post I googled "halloween banned at school religious reasons" instead of "halloween banned public schools" and I got a number of links referring to a number of schools where it was banned for religious reasons, so apparently it's more of a reason than I had thought.

I agree with all you say - I see nothing wrong with having a couple of hours of fun at school once or twice a year. Whatever the reason, seems to me it's making a mountain out of a molehill.

[cybercoma]

You know what, let's ban Valentine's Day too. No Valentine's to be given out because the fat ugly kids don't get many! No Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Years holidays off either because other cultures don't get ie: Chinese New Years or Hannukah off or whatever. Let's take out "all our sons command" out of Oh Canada because it's not gender neutral. Let's just take a dump on every tradition we know and appeal to every sensitivity humanly possible. RAGE!!!!

Now you know how other cultures' holidays are treated. Come to Canada, the great cultural mosaic that we are. Just abandon your culture at the door.

Anyway, I'm not saying we should do away with anything. We just need to be conscientious and inclusive for all the students. It can really set kids back both academically and socially when we do things that stigmatize them. That's all.

[The_Squid]

Now you know how other cultures' holidays are treated. Come to Canada, the great cultural mosaic that we are. Just abandon your culture at the door.Anyway, I'm not saying we should do away with anything. We just need to be conscientious and inclusive for all the students. It can really set kids back both academically and socially when we do things that stigmatize them. That's all.

So everyone's cultural observances now become Canadian? That's just goofy. Norwegian Reindeer Days because little Jonas will be sad his holidays are excluded? An unworkable, silly idea.

A cultural mosaic doesn't abandon it's own cultural practices. And no one needs abandon their culture. That's just hyperbole.

[cybercoma]

Way to completely miss the point.

[The_Squid]

Way to completely miss the point.

Your point was ridiculous. Stigmatized? Little Jonas is not going to be stigmatized because his culture didn't include Halloween. Well guess what? His new Canadian culture does include Halloween, but not Reideer Days. That particular holiday is celebrated at the Norwegian Hall with other Norwegians.

[cybercoma]

I've already explained back on page 1 how kids can be stigmatized and it has nothing to do with that nonsense you just posted.