General Discussion

merrily

(45,251 posts)

34. For many of us, Hallowe'en became or has been disassociated from All Hallows Evening, both as it is

Fri Oct 24, 2014, 01:34 AM

Oct 2014

a Catholic event and as it is a pagan event. However, its is a religious holiday.

If it's not okay for a public school to bring crucifixes or nativity scenes into the school, why are the symbols of a pagan religion or All Saints' Day fine?

And then, there are the food issues as well, from sugar content to allergies to vegans (though they could certainly serve apple slices to most kids--no law says it has to be candy).

Even Thanksgiving is religious in origin. According to the story, the Pilgrims were thanking God for having survived the harsh winter and for the harvest.

So, I think you have to decide if the SCOTUS was correct in its public school and religion decisions back in the 1950s or not. But, what really is not okay for government is to say this one religiously related celebration (be it paganism or Catholicism) is okay in public schools, but none of the others are.

IMO, the whole issue is FUBAR when the SCOTUS decides things like presents and Santa (aka Saint Nicholas) are secular symbols, which balance out a nativity scene and dilute its religious nature.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

147 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Schools Eliminating Halloween? [View all] mia Oct 2014 OP

Yeah shenmue Oct 2014 #1

According to the article in the OP, it's not the religious who are doing it; it's about inclusivenes Wella Oct 2014 #2

How does Halloween exclude the obese? Nye Bevan Oct 2014 #6

Seriously, if you have a child prone to weight gain, Halloween can be a nightmare Wella Oct 2014 #16

Candy and sweets don't have to be the main focus of a Halloween celebration. Crunchy Frog Oct 2014 #27

I think that's true, but most of the time, Halloween IS about sweets Wella Oct 2014 #94

Tell that to the Hershey and Mars Corporations. TeamPooka Oct 2014 #131

Everything in moderation Trekologer Oct 2014 #43

If you're a kid with a weight issue, a food allergy, or ADD/ADHD and are on a special diet, there's Wella Oct 2014 #95

At my kids' school Halloween had nothing to do with candy. It was all about the costumes. pnwmom Oct 2014 #101

A lot depends on the school and how they handle holidays. Wella Oct 2014 #106

There's nothing religious about the way any school I've seen celebrates this dress-up party. pnwmom Oct 2014 #110

Wow. Just wow. Wella Oct 2014 #125

I responded to the wrong post Travis_0004 Oct 2014 #133

Results of Jury service Travis_0004 Oct 2014 #135

Because this isn't about inclusiveness. Everyone is invited to dress-up and go to the party. pnwmom Oct 2014 #142

Ya know, it's possible to celebrate halloween without stuffing kids full of candy... NT Adrahil Oct 2014 #44

But many teachers don't abide by this. Wella Oct 2014 #107

The deal with THAT issue instead of canceling the whole thing. Adrahil Oct 2014 #136

sounds like those mothers are the issue if they are relying on schools for parenting snooper2 Oct 2014 #87

They're not. They're trying to prevent the school from interefering with parenting Wella Oct 2014 #96

Are you going to end birthday celebrations at school too? Crunchy Frog Oct 2014 #132

One night of sweets is not responsible for childhood obesity. moriah Oct 2014 #146

No more and no less than Thanksgiving excludes the hungry. LanternWaste Oct 2014 #90

The schools don't exclude any children from the parade. mia Oct 2014 #9

Obesity? alp227 Oct 2014 #13

No, many young children are either obese or prone to weight gain Wella Oct 2014 #20

That's a part of life Dorian Gray Oct 2014 #50

Good for you that your kid doesn't like candy. But Wella Oct 2014 #97

Food and candy aren't going anywhere phil89 Oct 2014 #82

But you don't need to drag it into the classroom Wella Oct 2014 #98

How many pounds do you gain from two rolls of smartees? Scootaloo Oct 2014 #126

How many kids stop at 2 rolls of smartees? How many classrooms do? Wella Oct 2014 #129

Yes, but this does not cause obesity Scootaloo Oct 2014 #130

You could make that argument about any school activity, including team sports. pnwmom Oct 2014 #35

Why is it ridiculous? It is wrong to exclude children on the basis of race, sex, creed or ability Wella Oct 2014 #99

Halloween is just a dress-up game. It doesn't exclude children anymore than pnwmom Oct 2014 #100

No, Halloween is an old pagan holiday that is now about eating candy Wella Oct 2014 #105

It doesn't matter what it was several hundred years ago. Now it's a big dress-up party. pnwmom Oct 2014 #111

It matters to some people, maybe not to you. Not everything is the way you perceive it. Wella Oct 2014 #112

I know what it's like not to be able to eat the food other people can eat. pnwmom Oct 2014 #114

So a kid in a wheelchair should be able to insist there be no sports at his school Generic Other Oct 2014 #102

Or sports accessible to him in his wheelchair. Wella Oct 2014 #113

So you believe they should offer alternatives to Halloween after all Generic Other Oct 2014 #119

I actually believe that all students need to be included in school activities Wella Oct 2014 #123

Then why not send diabetic-safe sweets for your child to eat? The stores are full of them. pnwmom Oct 2014 #143

I agree with you. mia Oct 2014 #8

That I haven't seen. I have seen people objecting for dietary reasons. Wella Oct 2014 #21

I can just imagine� witches, warlocks, vampires, ghosts�. and Noah. I bet none of the religious KittyWampus Oct 2014 #25

You just gave me an idea JustAnotherGen Oct 2014 #55

Dude, the Old Testament prophets are fucking SCARY Scootaloo Oct 2014 #127

Now that's my kind of proxy war! Iggo Oct 2014 #60

Kids love Halloween. I've never heard of LibDemAlways Oct 2014 #3

I'm horrified by this - I LOVE Halloween TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #56

My daughter attends UC Santa Barbara and Halloween LibDemAlways Oct 2014 #69

OMG! I'm hyperventilating at just the thought! TorchTheWitch Oct 2014 #78

Thank Dog that hasn't yet impacted my sons' school. Crunchy Frog Oct 2014 #4

My elementary school never had a Halloween Party Art_from_Ark Oct 2014 #32

This is the result of thinking it's a right not to be offended scarystuffyo Oct 2014 #5

The over-protection bubble is getting a little out of hand Trekologer Oct 2014 #46

More stupid nonsense in the name of political correctness (nt) Nye Bevan Oct 2014 #7

Do you think a kid is going to be scarred for life/improperly influenced, alp227 Oct 2014 #14

No (nt) Nye Bevan Oct 2014 #15

So why do you disagree with the school's decision? nt alp227 Oct 2014 #17

Because it's stupid nonsense in the name of political correctness. (nt) Nye Bevan Oct 2014 #19

Actually a good deal of it is dietary Wella Oct 2014 #22

You can have a Halloween celebration without sugary snacks. n/t Crunchy Frog Oct 2014 #28

Oh c'mon... This isn't about candy. Adrahil Oct 2014 #45

They have these new things called pretzels, apples, goldfish, etc. kysrsoze Oct 2014 #73

I ate a goldfish once, they are kind of slimy at first snooper2 Oct 2014 #88

if it is done DonCoquixote Oct 2014 #40

+1 RandySF Oct 2014 #68

I hope christmas is going to be treated the same Politicalboi Oct 2014 #10

Wait..... Thanksgiving is "Christmas based"? Nye Bevan Oct 2014 #12

Lol. Maybe because of commercialization, Thanksgiving BECAME Christmas-based. alp227 Oct 2014 #18

I was taught that the first Thanksgiving was about thanking God for having survived that year merrily Oct 2014 #30

"Foot the bill" A HERETIC I AM Oct 2014 #36

Just celebrate them at home treestar Oct 2014 #64

It doesn't.... BUT... Adrahil Oct 2014 #77

Sure we could all celebrade New Years... Glassunion Oct 2014 #145

My kid goes to a religious school and they're having a party tomorrow RandySF Oct 2014 #11

You seem to be ignoring the bits about food/nutrition. Besides, a private merrily Oct 2014 #31

Like Randy said, "Some people and schools are too uptight." kysrsoze Oct 2014 #75

Our son's elementary school cancelled Halloween festivities a few years back MannyGoldstein Oct 2014 #23

The five year old birthday parties around here are pretty liquored up affairs. n/t Crunchy Frog Oct 2014 #29

When I was a kid in Walpole we had my friends grandmother who owned a huge old house... Marrah_G Oct 2014 #84

I teach first grade, and I say Fuck Halloween. roody Oct 2014 #24

what the hell demwing Oct 2014 #38

I have a great idea for school. roody Oct 2014 #117

You're right, Halloween will destroy education as we know it demwing Oct 2014 #120

As a first grade teacher surely you know that for small children especially playing is how they liberal_at_heart Oct 2014 #124

I bet you're fun at parties! Adrahil Oct 2014 #48

Those poor students of yours... kysrsoze Oct 2014 #74

Don't worry. They adore me. roody Oct 2014 #115

No No, Fuck Ice cream demwing Oct 2014 #121

So a dairy party once a month is fantastic Codeine Oct 2014 #137

Why are we a nation of sheep? roody Oct 2014 #144

Why? Marrah_G Oct 2014 #85

Fortunately, at my school, we don't do costume parties. roody Oct 2014 #116

But isn't fun and imagination also important? Marrah_G Oct 2014 #118

No no, Fuck fun and imagination demwing Oct 2014 #122

To be inclusive, the PTA buys a blank roody Oct 2014 #139

Wait, an all you can eat ice cream party Codeine Oct 2014 #138

My students are mostly poor. I feed them roody Oct 2014 #140

how do you fuck a holiday, are holidays into foreplay? snooper2 Oct 2014 #89

LOL azmom Oct 2014 #109

Great Mister Nightowl Oct 2014 #26

There was a big uproar here last year Tree-Hugger Oct 2014 #33

what boring people!!! Niceguy1 Oct 2014 #71

For many of us, Hallowe'en became or has been disassociated from All Hallows Evening, both as it is merrily Oct 2014 #34

So let them cancel Christmas. Not everyone celebrates THAT holiday demwing Oct 2014 #37

Let's ban MLK Jr day demwing Oct 2014 #39

Oh they'd easily ban that one. nt TBF Oct 2014 #41

Not a good analogy treestar Oct 2014 #65

Down here the schools and churches TBF Oct 2014 #42

Don't you know it is their right to be constantly surrounded by reminders of their religion? Trekologer Oct 2014 #47

You bet I know - TBF Oct 2014 #49

people who complain about Halloween being evil maryellen99 Oct 2014 #62

There's big money in Christmas demwing Oct 2014 #52

Ah, that makes even more sense. TBF Oct 2014 #57

The Harvest festivals I've attended included costumes Ilsa Oct 2014 #51

Seriously? In what large city do the people celebrate a 'Harvest Festival'? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #53

Houston - TBF Oct 2014 #58

Oh, large cities have plenty of 'festivals', Erich Bloodaxe BSN Oct 2014 #59

Our school is eliminating Halloween this year gollygee Oct 2014 #54

I agree with you. Especially when there is an evening festival. mia Oct 2014 #93

Let's put it this way... ReRe Oct 2014 #61

I don't have a big problem with it treestar Oct 2014 #63

Back in the late 80s/early 90s when I was in elementary school we didn't celebrate Halloween tammywammy Oct 2014 #66

How misleading. LWolf Oct 2014 #67

Our school just provides an alternative activity for those who don't celebrate Halloween. cyberswede Oct 2014 #70

We had this issue 25 years ago in my kids' elementary school frazzled Oct 2014 #72

Wanted to talk about the last bit. Adrahil Oct 2014 #79

Well, in my case frazzled Oct 2014 #81

Reasonable response treestar Oct 2014 #92

When I hear "harvest festive" Kelvin Mace Oct 2014 #76

One of my favorite films Generic Other Oct 2014 #108

The new version is pretty hilarious, in its way Scootaloo Oct 2014 #128

They will have plenty of fattening foods at harvest fest .this is about religion, kids staying home lunasun Oct 2014 #80

It is a holy day for me- one of our four major ones Marrah_G Oct 2014 #83

In our house we have a yearly Dumb Supper on Samhain justiceischeap Oct 2014 #86

Yes- I enjoy the supper too Marrah_G Oct 2014 #91

The apartment house where I live is having a "Harvest" festival this coming Wednesday. There's Louisiana1976 Oct 2014 #103

I am anti-war Generic Other Oct 2014 #104

I don't like costumes that have blood and gore exhibited. Stellar Oct 2014 #134

Um, I know quite a few people don't celebrate Christmas... Baitball Blogger Oct 2014 #141

I'm reminded of this episode from South Park about Christmas.... moriah Oct 2014 #147