School district bans Halloween to accommodate ‘cultural beliefs’

originally posted by: grandmakdw

So be precise with your words, or
expect, not an attack on you,
but an attack on your words as
perceived by the general public.

When you mean some weirdo Christians,
say it. Put the qualifier on.
Without the qualifier the word Christians
standing alone by default means
ALL Christians.
If you mean the few radical
and very hateful Christians, say it
put the qualifier on the word.
Otherwise the word standing alone
does mean ALL, as far as the reader
is concerned, they can not read your
intention or your mind.

This goes both ways.

For example, the majority of Catholics and Mainline Protestants in the U.S. favor gay marriage yet there are plenty of evangelicals on the right constantly claiming to speak for all Christians on this subject.

originally posted by: RainyState
Could banning an event or holiday in order to include those that do not participate for whatever reason, cause resentment by those who would have participated?

So an attempt to not hurt the feelings of Group A, you cancel an event

By cancelling said event, you hurt the feelings of group B

Group B then blames Group A for the event being cancelled, hurting the feelings of Group A, the original group who's feelings you were trying to save?


Seems like a lose-lose situation to me

IMHO, it's not a war on religion, but a war in individuality.

If I read it correctly.

There were still events planned for after school.

What was cancelled was wearing costumes and having a parade during school hours.

Other schools have switched it to a Harvest Festival with some costume restrictions (no death, blood, and gore).

I can see that Halloween could be very offensive to some religious belief.

Is this the same as atheists saying they have freedom from religion?

originally posted by: DelMarvel

originally posted by: grandmakdw

So be precise with your words, or
expect, not an attack on you,
but an attack on your words as
perceived by the general public.

When you mean some weirdo Christians,
say it. Put the qualifier on.
Without the qualifier the word Christians
standing alone by default means
ALL Christians.
If you mean the few radical
and very hateful Christians, say it
put the qualifier on the word.
Otherwise the word standing alone
does mean ALL, as far as the reader
is concerned, they can not read your
intention or your mind.

This goes both ways.

For example, the majority of Catholics and Mainline Protestants in the U.S. favor gay marriage yet there are plenty of evangelicals on the right constantly claiming to speak for all Christians on this subject.

You are correct
It does go not only
Both ways but it goes
ALL ways

No one can read ones
Intentions. No one is a
Mind readers

Don't be angry when you are not
Clear and people make assumptions

Has anybody researched this link? I'm getting increasignly weary on ATS because people are using links from BS websites. A lot of times things are used out of context or twisted to not reflect the truth.

SO I think it's likely--IF THIS IS TRUE--it's not as bad as the OP is making it out to be. I just don't have the enthusiasm to follow the trail right now to see if there's anything genuine to worry about.

But I'll admit things ARE changing in our schools. Some of it's tied to the school shootings. They seem more frequent now, are they? More police in schools. More rules, not all of them tied to school shootings. The rules are supposed to help. Just more unfriendly in my eyes. I grew up believing youth are revolutionaries. They strengthen society because they update it. BUT as I grow older, I start to wonder if it can be the opposite. What if institutions brainwash youth to think certain things? Youths can't be revolutionaries if they're brainwashed, can they?

I worry youth, growing up under so many rules, will come to expect it when they're adults. Our society will--in turn--adopt even more rules. If they're rules of decency, not so bad. But what if it squelches freedom? Oh, they'll tell us it wasn't freedom. They'll make us not want it.

That's my fear. My fear is we'll become robots someday. More rules. Tighter rules. Conforming behaviours. Maybe all of it's good? Who knows, it might be! But it's my instinct to fear it and be repulsed by it. Maybe some exotic part of me is deflecting, aware that at some future date our robot AI overlords will merge with us to become the new human. Not so bad on its own, but it replaces us, relegates us to the dust bin of history.

I don't think we should be anarchic. We do need rules. I'm only appealing to our highest ideals AS HUMANS. We're not robots. We're flawed creatures at our core. It's that part of us we must make peace with.

/sigh. I'm sorry for the above detour. I promised myself I'd keep this short and I didn't. I went along with it until I lost control.

Like most of you have a deep distrust of society. I've long been a shadow lurking in the cold wet trashy backstreets alongside other conspiracy nutjobs. I'm as vulnerable to BS as anybody, although I think I'm less welcome to it now. I'm fat on BS and don't like it.

a reply to: jonnywhite
It is or I should say was a legit story. If you read all the posts you will see other links where the administration relented to pressure and the issue was rendered moot

Rude to call BS without checking it out first and makes one look Well.....,

originally posted by: jonnywhite

I worry youth, growing up under so many rules, will come to expect it when they're adults. Our society will--in turn--adopt even more rules. If they're rules of decency, not so bad. But what if it squelches freedom? Oh, they'll tell us it wasn't freedom. They'll make us not want it.

There is much less restrictions in society now then in the past. But, even in the past there have always been unique individuals that speak there mind in various ways.

As far as being PC in schools --- what is wrong with respecting diversity and just being nice to everyone?

Do we really need to hear: "Just boys being boys" or "Bullying is a right of passage"? . . . And other assorted nonsense.

a reply to: DelMarvel

For example, the majority of Catholics and Mainline Protestants in the U.S. favor gay marriage

Not to get too off topic but do you have a study/survey to support that? That has not been my experience with the Catholics I know.

originally posted by: Lucid Lunacy
a reply to: DelMarvel

For example, the majority of Catholics and Mainline Protestants in the U.S. favor gay marriage

Not to get too off topic but do you have a study/survey to support that? That has not been my experience with the Catholics I know.

Yeah, I do. I'll find it for you when I get on my home computer. Not an overwhelming majority in the polling I'm referring to but over fifty percent.

originally posted by: Lucid Lunacy
a reply to: DelMarvel

For example, the majority of Catholics and Mainline Protestants in the U.S. favor gay marriage

Not to get too off topic but do you have a study/survey to support that? That has not been my experience with the Catholics I know.

www.pewforum.org...

Wow, you guys get a Halloween? It's dead here. The Church took it over. They call it Trunk or Treat.

As far as celebrating in school goes. I'd rather my kid be learning. Too bad the teachers aren't teaching.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: grandmakdw

Halloween has been referred to as "Fall Festival" in my school district for at least a decade.

I think that is true for many schools/communities, however, I think it is their reasoning (or lack thereof) that's got this story going viral.

It's ridiculous. And I'm glad I'm out West now, for sure. People are much more "live and let live" in these parts.