Home › Forums › Open Discussion › RANT: Schools & NO costumes!?
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October 31, 2012 at 5:55 pm #605394
DannyQMemberI just called my nephews school after my sister informed me they weren’t allowed to wear costumes today. I didn’t believe her. Come to find out, she was right.
What in the HECK is this country coming to???!
October 31, 2012 at 6:28 pm #775785
mypatience1978ParticipantYeah it is pretty sad. There was a news story how the schools didn’t want to offend anyone. Excuse me but if you come to America which I have no problem with, don’t complain about what we do or how we celebrate. We are slowly loosing simple pleasures due to people from other countries who live here, getting offended. Be happy that you get to live in a better place and be open minded and realize that such things as dressing up for Halloween especially for kids, is to have fun and not to make fun of others beliefs.
October 31, 2012 at 6:37 pm #775786
DannyQMemberA few years ago when I worked for an airline, the airport put up a Manora for the Jewish, a Christmas “Winter tree” for Christians, and a few other things to show appreciation for all cultures and religions. One religion complained about the other and one complained about their decorations not being put up so the airport took everything down MID SEASON! How much more accommodating could they have been?
Now the excuse from the school was that some kids don’t celebrate Halloween. My question to them was, how do you CELEBRATE Halloween? In modern days, Halloween has become a time for kids and adults alike to dress up and get free candy. It’s a tradition regardless of the beliefs that can be associated with it. Even churches have “Harvest Festivals” where kids can dress up.
What the freakin’ beacon!?
October 31, 2012 at 6:43 pm #775787
JoBParticipantmypatience 1978
“We are slowly loosing simple pleasures due to people from other countries who live here, getting offended”
blaming foreign customs for our loss of traditions may be comforting.. but the truth is that this one is home grown foolishness propagated by fundamentalist christians whose families have been here for a while :(
October 31, 2012 at 6:50 pm #775788
DannyQMemberJoB, I assume that these are the same families that want “One Nation Under God” deleted out of our Pledge of Allegiance, right?
October 31, 2012 at 7:15 pm #775789
dhgParticipantI blame it on the TV Baptists. They preach that Halloween is an entry drug to the world of witchcraft. They’ve gone from being a sect that believed icons and rituals were harmless and foolish to one that believes demons are real, present and easily conjured.
October 31, 2012 at 7:33 pm #775790
DannyQMemberI am no Republican by any means, but Holy heck. This man has made me proud and I don’t think I would mind him being my Governor:
Chris Christie moves Halloween in New Jersey to next Monday by executive order
Sandy’s awful tricks postpone Halloween treats: The New Jersey Governor moved the Wednesday holiday celebration because of risks from floodwaters, toppled trees and downed power lines.
By Philip Caulfield / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 3:01 PM
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie officially postponed Halloween until next Monday, tossing a treat to all the little ghouls and goblins in the Garden State.
Christie signed an executive order delaying the holiday on Wednesday, saying he didn’t want trick-or-treaters to be injured by toppled trees, downed power lines or floodwaters.
“As governor, it is my responsibility to use all available resources of the state government to protect against the emergency created by Hurricane Sandy – postponing Halloween celebrations by five days is a commonsense and necessary step to accomplish that,” Christie said in a statement to The Bergen Record.
“I want kids to have Halloween, but I also want kids to be safe and alive,” the governor said during a press conference on Tuesday.
Hurricane Sandy has forced Halloween festivities across the tri-state area to be cancelled or postponed, including the historic Greenwich Village parade.
Mayor Bloomberg said on Tuesday that cops couldn’t be called on to patrol the parade, and it would probably be held “sometime next week.”
A handful New Jersey cities and towns had already postponed Halloween until Saturday, but Christie said it might still be dangerous for kids to be out then.
October 31, 2012 at 7:34 pm #775791
DannyQMemberP.s…this isn’t the only reason I said that.
October 31, 2012 at 8:07 pm #775792
miwsParticipantJoB, I assume that these are the same families that want “One Nation Under God” deleted out of our Pledge of Allegiance, right?
DannyQ, I would hazard a guess that it’s actually the modern day like thinkers to those that decades ago had that line added to the Pledge, as well as having “In God We Trust” put on our money.
Mike
October 31, 2012 at 8:08 pm #775793
anonymeParticipantDanny, I suggest you re-read Jo’s post. Unless you’re being sarcastic, you’ve completely misinterpreted the meaning of her comment – which was right on, btw.
The people who want the recently added “under God” removed from the Pledge are atheists – like myself – who want to see a separation of church and state maintained.
The people against Halloween are the fundies who are also terrified of Harry Potter. I doubt that many ‘foreigners’ care any more about Halloween than they do about Valentine’s Day.
October 31, 2012 at 8:14 pm #775794
DannyQMemberIt was definitely a sarcastic comment. I don’t think it has anything to do with foreigners. In fact, I completely think it’s within our communities.
What it ultimately boils down to is people not happy with themselves and wanting to see others unhappy.
October 31, 2012 at 8:41 pm #775795
yes2wsParticipant[ What it ultimately boils down to is people not happy with themselves and wanting to see others unhappy.] Doubtful. DQ, I think you missed the rant thread about Laf Elem and costumes. There are many legitimate reasons for not wanting students to attend school in costumes. In that thread you can also find alternative ideas to keep the kids (and adults) engaged and happy with Halloween celebrations.
October 31, 2012 at 9:34 pm #775796
WorldCitizenParticipantThis is a popular post online:
The original Constitution of the United States that was ratified in 1789 had only one reference to religion: [Article 6] No religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
The de facto motto of the United States, adopted as part of the Great Seal of the U.S. by an Act of Congress in 1782 was E. Pluribus Unum (Out of Many, One). Congress changed it 174 years later (1956) to “In God We Trust.”
The original ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ was written in 1892 by Baptist Minister Francis Bellamy who DID NOT INCLUDE the words “Under God.” Those were added by Congress 62 years later (1954).
The U.S. didn’t issue Paper Currency until 1861, and ‘In God We Trust’ didn’t appear on it for 96 years (1957).
Just after the Red Scare in the 1950′s, CONGRESS CHANGED the Pledge of Allegiance and our Nation’s Motto over the FEAR of COMMUNISM.
In a time when fear is traded like a commodity, and the word SOCIALISM is being used to create the same fear as the old word COMMUNISM, let’s REMEMBER that our country was NOT founded on fear. NO, OUR NATION was founded out of HOPE for a better world where all people were EQUAL – that we were ONE from MANY.
Let’s not let fear change our nation’s great tradition & direction again.
October 31, 2012 at 10:43 pm #775797
wsmama3ParticipantI love that my kids school didn’t do Halloween costumes. I don’t think that makes me anti-american, anti-tradition, or anti-fun.
October 31, 2012 at 10:55 pm #775798
carrieannMemberI’m a parent of two Lafayette students, and helped plan and volunteered at both of their classroom celebrations, today. I can honestly say that, while in the classrooms, lunchroom, and walking through the hallways, I heard not even a single peep out of any of them about not getting to wear their costumes. When the kids first heard the news, they were surprised and disappointed. I’d say we all were. They’d “always dressed up”, as far as they were concerned, and this change was a big bummer. Moving forward, however, it seems like they got over it… but the vocal parent group did not.
Having been at the school for the past four Halloweens, I can say that while I do look forward to seeing the kids in their various costumes, I also felt like things ran more smoothly without having to stop and help those who didn’t wear them TO school (and it’s easily half who do not), get changed, gathering up their clothing, and helping them keep everything in order (so they don’t leave behind integral parts of their costume which their parents would appreciate they have for the evening’s festivities) throughout the rest of the day. The older kids may be pros, but assisting multiple classes of 24+ wild and wiggling Kindergarteners swallows up a pretty sizable chunk of time.
We had a two hour early dismissal today, and were able to use at least part of that time for our Harvest Celebrations, which seemed to be a big hit. While Ms. Heath and staff members voted for the costume ban THIS YEAR, based on numerous factors, they’ve stated that it’s something they’ll revisit for following years.
October 31, 2012 at 11:21 pm #775799
BonnieParticipantI would have been thrilled to have no costumes at school today. I’m not anti fun, just think there are plenty of opportunities for them to wear their costumes.
October 31, 2012 at 11:49 pm #775800
JanSParticipantthe country isn’t “coming to” anything. Lafayette and other schools had an early dismissal, so opted to not do the costumes. Reasonable. Geez….first world problems. Other religions did it? Wow! what an ignorant statement. I am astounded that this type of belief lives in my lovely West Seattle !
November 1, 2012 at 12:35 am #775801
MercyMoiParticipantI’m with wsmama3. It sure keeps things simple when my little guy doesn’t have to worry about keeping his costume in good condition during a day at school. He has had weekend parties and the Junction festival to wear it, and definitely wants to look good tonight for the ritual of trick or treating. I didn’t hear any grumbling today about not donning costumes to school. Sometimes we as adults think our childhood experience is the way things should be for kids today, when things might be just different today, not better or worse. In fact, it might be just as fun if not more special to save costumes for trick or treating and parties.
November 1, 2012 at 12:47 am #775802
lindaParticipantHere’s the link from the WSB article where this issue was reported:
It had nothing to do with celebrating or not and everything to do with how disruptive costumes would be on an early dismissal day where teachers were already facing limited classroom time.
Besides, I don’t ever recall being allowed to wear a costume to school growing up until Junior High or High School. Didn’t make Halloween any less fun.
November 1, 2012 at 2:41 am #775803
karenParticipantI am a preschool teacher and we also had a no costume policy. The reason for us is safety. Kids dressed like super heroes tend to act like super heroes, which is not always safe at school. Wings and capes are a hazard when running or climbing. And if you look at many costumes, they are a choking just waiting to happen! Under supervision, with a parent, for a couple hours trick or treating – just fine. In a class of 20 kids, only a few adults, all day – not so safe!
November 1, 2012 at 2:20 pm #775804
anonymeParticipantI think the “no costume” rules actually make perfect sense when explained from the perspective of schools, teachers, and probably school bus drivers as well. Too many superheroes on a moving bus can’t be a good thing. Thanks to the school employees whose comments helped put the issue in perspective.
Other protests of Halloween as being Satanic, whatever – not so much. And thanks World Citizen for your post clarifying some of the history around the insertion of God into government.
November 1, 2012 at 5:09 pm #775805
JoBParticipantworld citizen
it’s amazing how a little history actually puts things in perspective, isn’t it.
November 1, 2012 at 6:01 pm #775806
WorldCitizenParticipantYeah. It is.
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