School Age Kids
Do you have questions, thoughts or concerns about your child's education? This is a place to vent about your kids and school, ask questions about what they should be learning or vent about teachers. From kids preschool through high school, we can talk about it all!
47 Members
Club type:
Common Interest
Leader:
charmedmommy
Created:
Sep 17, 2009
Talk
Schools have become so politcally correct, it's boring!
I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that I'm not the only one who thinks that the way schools have changed have made things boring!
I remember going to school during Halloween and being allowed to dress up in my costume, "trick or treat" through the classrooms and have a Halloween parade through the school. As each classroom would pass through another they would pick up that class for the parade. The parade would circle around to all the rooms then dropping each class back off.
Sounds fun doesn't it?! But somewhere along the line, it's not politically correct to have Halloween parties. We now have Harvest parties that are crammed into the last 30 minutes of the day.
Most schools don't have Christmas programs anymore either. My kids' school has off season programs that are set at the end of the school day when most parents can't attend because of work. It's like they don't want the parent participation. My husband, who works a night shift is usually still asleep when these programs happen and my parents and inlaws can't make it because they are at work. Holiday and Christmas programs used to be a big deal! Kids dressed up in their nicest clothes and the stage or gym was decorated and all lit up. Now they wear whatever to school and it's just that grade that participates. The other kids in the school don't even get to attend. It makes me sad really.
Am I the only one who's disgruntled with how schools have changed so much in order to be politically correct?
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8 Comments
I'm with you. I can't believe how sanitized schools have become. I know there are kids who don't celebrate or don't have the money, but the majority of kids can particiapte and I hate seeing them lose out so one kid's family isn't upset.
Don't like Halloween celebrations, don't send your kid to school on that day.
I was a teacher for years and I had a student who's religion didn't allow holiday celebrations, so I remember being told that my pre-schoolers could color pictures of pumpkins because they are fall but not jack-o-lanterns because they're Halloween.
So silly
YES! I am definitely with you on this one!
I never celebrated Christmas in my life, never had a tree or presents on that day and I looked forward to that holiday season more than any other kid I knew! Everyone was so kind and in good spirits, the decorations are beautiful, and the parties, don't even get me started on all the cookies and candy we all enjoyed during that time :)
I really can't believe what has happened in our schools (and if we really want to start a discussion, it's not just in the schools). I totally agree with Cynthiab, if you for some reason don't want your kid to celebrate Halloween or color jack o lanterns, then keep them out of school that day (same for the parade!).
What are these parents so afraid of? If they're kids are exposed to something a little different than what they believe they'll be totally corrupted of life?? It's the parents responsibility to raise they're children the way they want them to be raised.
My oldest is in preschool and we specifically picked a school where they dress up for Halloween (and actually call it that) as well as have a CHRISTMAS party- oh my! Next year he'll be going to a private school where they also celebrate these and other holidays the way they were meant to be celebrated.
Some of my best memories from grade school were the Halloween parties and dressing up. I was just telling someone yesterday how I loved dressing up as a "roller derby queen" (as if I even knew what that was then!) because I got to WEAR MY ROLLER SKATES to school! Imagine them allowing that now! I also very fondly recall my third grade teacher who was super tall dressing up as Big Bird. Awesome. We'd have a little parade around the school and everyone loved it -- even the teachers.
I hope we can get away from this uber PC age soon. It's getting tired. We should teach our kids to respect one another's beliefs, but when the majority of people in a given area celebrate the same holidays, you're ruining the fun for everyone by only worrying about those few people who might not want to partake. Heck, do celebrations for the other holidays too and make it a learning experience! That same third grade teacher (my all-time favorite) introduced my class to latkes and dreidels. I don't know if he was Jewish or not, but he obviously wanted us to understand that there were other holidays besides Christmas. Point very well made. (And the latkes were delicious!)
Patti
SAHM in SoCal and administrator of the Sleep Forum group, http://www.mothersclick.com/group/sleep-forum and Tri-Counties Moms, http://www.mothersclick.com/moms-club/tri-counties-moms-sb-ventura-slo-c...
that's exactly how it is anymore. My kid's get so bored and I even do. I use to have so much fun. I mean I'm only 16 and everything is boreing in school. I want to drop out, but I can't because I have my 11 kid's to look after and support.
S.K.L. Mother of 11 soon to be 13.
I'm with you as well. I'm tired of all the PC "rules" and think it is (and has been for a while) ridiculous and frankly, unfair. I know we have to be mindful of other people's religions, beliefs, etc, we're all here sharing this big spinning rock
but when being politically correct takes things away from others, it becomes an issue for me.
I just ignore it. I'm sorry, but in my life with my family, I go about things in the exact same say I would if it were just us and if anyone were to have an issue with it, that would be their problem. We're not hurting anyone and what they believe in isn't effecting us.
I have a few Jewish friends and also some friends who're agnostic and every year during Christmastime, I order Christmas cards that say "Merry Christmas", not "Happy Holidays" and send them out to everyone. They know I'm not Jewish or agnostic and that I'm celebrating Christmas. If they sent me a Hanukkah greeting or a non-denominational greeting, I'd hang it with the rest of the Christmas cards we recieve
If things have to be PC, why don't they just recognize all the holidays and let everyone keep their special times of the year? Would everyone feel comfortabe with that?
I don't know. I'm just pondering a solution....
I wouldn't object to it if it meant my daughter could have her memories
I'd just see it as educational if they recognized other religion's celebrations at her school.
I'm just tired of all the PC nonsense. The other day a friend of mine in law school told me that they don't say "BFF" for "Best Friend Forever" anymore because of the individuals who do not believe in the afterlife, hence, the word "Forever".
It just made me want to punch whoever first said that. I'm sorry, but come on!
This is how I feel:
When in Rome.
And:
Majority rules.
Meaning, if I were in China, I would expect to be surrounded by their celebrations of Buddism. If I were in Iraq or Baghdad, I'd expect whatever Islamic religions celebrate to be recognized in the schools. Here, where the majority of Americans are Christians, I expect Christmas "goes with the territory".
I wouldn't go to another country expecting them to change their traditions for me.
I'm not saying that all non-Christians are foreigners who expect us to change our traditions because they're here too, but the ones who do have different beliefs and are from the US know this country's traditions.....and the ones who came here knew it too, for that matter.
I say nothing I wouldn't say to myself when amongst a majority. Respect it, even if they're not your beliefs.
Amen! Somewhere along the way we have completely forgotten what this country was founded on. Yes, we are the "melting pot" but that doesn't mean we throw everything we believe in out the window because someone from another country or culture does it differently.
People have gotten way too sensitive and it's become a mess. I think we see a lot of this in the schools right now. The doing away with Halloween and forcing our kids to celebrate with "holiday" parties is taking away from our very own culture, that just doesn't seem right to me.
While, the school my son attends will only be celebrating for the last hour and a half of his school day, they are still celebrating. The kids get to dress up, but of course no weapons can be brought, and their costume can't be so scary that it might scare the smaller kids. The school is VERY health concious and tries to stay away from sweet treats as much as possible, so no candy...but that's really ok with me. I am glad he is learning healthy eating early on.
What I like most about the school is that when the flyers went out to the parents stating this was taking place, it said that there would be other activities for children whose parents do not wish for them to participate. This to me seems like the best solution. I respect everyone's beliefs, but in giving up our holidays and traditions we are teaching people to not respect our own beliefs. With parallel activities taking place, all kids can have fun in the way that their families wish. Some will go parading in costumes, others will play in the gym or do arts and crafts. No one loses out.
My kid's school doesn't even celabrate and won't celabrate they say it's because they won't have time for studies. But when I go and wait for my son and daughter's in the class they sit there just paying games for the last hour or so. Even my younger kinder kid's can't have a little party.
Well any way's I like the idea that your son's school is at least giving you the option to let or don't let your child to be involved in a party. I wish my kid's could have that choice too.
S.K.L. Mother of 11 soon to be 13.