How to Become a Pariah
Well, I may or may not have become a social pariah today - time will tell. I wrote a letter this evening to protest the use of Christian holidays in our school classrooms. We live in a very multicultural community and it makes me a little ill to think of the children who are Muslim or Buddhist or [insert faith here] having to miss a day of school or sit in the hall just so that their school friends can have a holiday party without them. So depressing. My best friend growing up was Jehovah's Witness and I remember feeling horrible about how the holiday parties at school always excluded her. It just never seemed right.
I haven't gone to the extreme of advocating that all holiday themes be removed from the classrooms, though that would be nice. I did mention it as an option. As a compromise, however, I suggested that if the schools insist on incorporating Christian holidays that they at least try to balance it out by celebrating other holidays such as Kwanzaa, Ramadan, and Chinese New Year. I'd like to see it become more of a "share your culture" thing than a "hey let's make everyone feel like outcasts" thing on holidays.
At least this might make some of the kids feel better when all the teachers are promoting Santa and he won't arrive for at least 10% of the children in that classroom.
So, I've given it my best. I'm sealing the letter and sending it into the void. We'll see if it makes any difference.
posted by LilyMab @ 8:30 p.m.
5 comments
5 Comments:
Well, I'll still love you! I understand what you're saying but Christmas and Xmas are very important to perhaps 90% of the people in the class (from your example.) As someone who teaches culture and language, I feel that kids should learn about the rituals that are important to people in their community and around the world. I think secular holidays and major religious holidays should be explained (at least as far as the central rituals.) We are raising the next generation in a time of globalism and war. In order to encourage tolerance, I think we need to eliminate fear and jealousy and teach respect. Also, I think that too often, we are apt to downplay the rituals and rites of passage in our lives. But, these are the things that mark our life and form our identities and provide us with ways of coping with the world. That being said, it does make it rather hard on the teachers. I find it difficult to be authoritative about Chanukah but I do my best. I haven't tried Kwanzaa, I must admit. At the very least, students should be invited to share their experiences in a safe and structured atmosphere. But, if you are against 50 identical crayon-coloured pictures of Santa with cotton-ball beards - then I am with you. For goodness sake, there are at least snowmen!
I don't like the idea of getting rid of all "Christmas" or "Easter" activities in the schools, mostly because I remember them being so much fun as a kid! Instead, I like the idea of being more inclusive: celebrate Christmas, but also talk about other cultures' traditions and holidays too. See it as an opportunity to share. It's like the books on a library shelf, you want to offer as many different points of view as possible. I think a school system that becomes so tied up in being politically correct that only "seasonal" fun they can offer is some snowman coloring pages would be a tragedy. How much more dry and boring would school become then??
Hey guys,
Thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate the feedback.
I agree that it's nice to have holidays in the classroom to a certain extent...I just get frustrated when we don't celebrate Christmas and my children are getting attacked by Santas at every turn. Be good or Santa won't bring you stuff! What's Santa going to bring you? It's all so greedy, it drives me nuts. We do our best to instill our values in the kids, but it's hard. Someone actually told our son that Santa will bring him every single thing he asks for. Ummm...not likely...even if we did celebrate Christmas, the disappointment would be palpable facing that list of stuff.
I didn't end up advocating banning all holidays and, really, that's not what I want. We love Halloween and we'd hate to see it get tossed too. It's just as important to us as Christmas is to others. (Side note: I am slightly annoyed that they go overboard at Christmas, but ban Halloween costumes - how fair is that?)
In the end, I just want some balance. Our community is so multicultural that it would be nice for the kids to learn that there are many rituals celebrated in our city and that they are all equally important to the families that celebrate them. I'd also really like it if the school focussed more on explaining the holiday and why it is celebrated instead of just dumping Santa on top of everything they do.
I think maybe I have the Over-Christmassed-Blues. :S
I know what you mean about Halloween!! Halloween was my favourite holiday as a kid, equal to Christmas, if not better, and I loved dressing up and having Halloween parties at school. It just about broke my heart when E. told me that they don't allow costumes at the school he teaches at anymore. They have "black and orange" day now. How lame is that?? Is that the way it is going all over the place now? No more costumes in the schools? Seriously, if I have kids, I should just take them out of school on Halloween and we'll have our own party.
Alright, I've got to put my two cents in.
Bringing it back to a library thing (you know, 'cause that's where I met you, and it's what we do and all that [*scuffs toe*]), it's always bothered me that so many public libraries (including a fairly large, leading edge library in my city, as well as the city where we went to school) carry "Inspirational" fiction. "Inspirational"? Let's call it what it really is: Christian. Fiction with a Christian moral/lesson. Our library goes so far as to separate it from the rest of the collection with cute pink stickers. Gross.
What about fiction that incorporates an Islamic message? Or a Hindu message? Hmm? How is this fair?
As a Christian, it used to bother me that schools and government institutions were becoming so generit with their "happy holidays" and "season's greetings". But I get it now.
And as for the halloween debate: my sister is a teacher in a grade two class. And her understanding is that they encouraged 'orange and black' day vs. halloween costume day in respect for those families who couldn't afford costumes, or who couldn't keep up with the moms who hand sewed ninja turtle shells. Which I also get.
And that's it.
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