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My father died when I was young. To this day, I loathe Father's Day -- it's just a reminder that he's gone. My daughter never had a father. Somewhere, there is a sperm donor but I have no idea who he is and neither does her biological mother. More than once she would come home in tears because kids in class were making father's day cards and she didn't have a daddy to make one for. I finally had had enough and went to the school and demanded they stop this practice of making cards and gifts for mother's and father's day -- they had nothing to do with school and were a cruel reminder to children who lost a parent or had never had a mother or a father. These are not holidays that need to be celebrated in school; people can do as they please at home but why is there a need to do this in a school? I applaud this school and wish more schools would join in this practice and more people would understand why it is the right thing to do.
Golfingnut, thank you for being so understanding and caring. If more people would try to walk in the shoes of those who have less, are different or whatever, "political correctness" would not be an issue -- it would be a natural act. BTW -- More than once in my life I was the child who was out of place for celebrating Christmas (Middle East, Central Africa, Far East). My friends, the schools, the adults all tried to help my brother and I and our family feel welcome and let us know it was okay to be different than they. We were invited to celebrate their religion and beliefs with them; they celebrated with us when it didn't conflict with their beliefs. When did the world become so much less accepting and understanding? When did it become not okay to be different, to have different beliefs? |
I still don't think Mother's day is hard on folks that don't have one. As I said before, my mother died giving birth to me...BUT.... Most of us have a grandmother. I did and loved her dearly and she loved me.
I just don't get it. The folks without moms are few and far between and when I became a mom, it made up for it big time. I just don't understand this issue at all. Even if a child has two dads or two moms. So what. He can bring one of them a card on Mothers day or both of them. Like most things in life, we just have to put on our big girl panties and deal with it. Life isn't always fair, but it is pretty much the same for all of us. I just don't get that it is a problem, having Mother's day. It has been around as long as I remember and it seems like a pleasant thing to have. I sure am missing this message. |
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In keeping with the spirit of doing kind acts, does that mean you will caddie a round for me? :D . |
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:bigbow: :BigApplause: . |
The few too often get to control the lives of the many. Everybody has got some issue. Suck it up. Let's get back to majority rule.
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Let's Expand This Thought to Other Areas
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KeeptItRal -- Sorry, don't see it that way. You're talking about social change. I'm talking about saying and doing things that hurt another for no. good. reason. Why are schools even celebrating Mother's/Father's Day? They're not a national holiday? Mother's Day was created by a woman wanting to honor her mother. It was turned into a commercial holiday by florists, jewelers and card makers.
I'm not saying give up celebrating these type of holidays. Heck, grandparents' day is a new "holiday" and a fun one for those of us with grandkids, but it is pretty much ignored in schools, as it should be. I'm saying there is no reason to celebrate them in school in any way, shape or form. It's not necessary and it does hurt other children (yes, a minority, but so what?). Making it a Family Day lets all kids celebrate their loved ones -- whether orphaned, adopted, raised in an alternative lifestyle or just a a kid in a "normal" family. It takes nothing away from Mother's/Father's Day being celebrated at home. I treasured my breakfasts in bed on "my' day (even when the food was inedible), but I saw no reason why kids in class should be making things to bring to their parents on those days. So, I applaud this school and wish all schools would follow this example. |
Some indicate that it is a tiny amount of people that think Mothers Day or Fathers Day IN SCHOOLS would be effected.
Look at the statistics of How many children that attend public schools,that do not have both parents. How many children attend public schools that have Gay and/or Lesbian parents. I would never suggest for anyone to stop honoring their Mother or Father on those special days. I do say it is wrong to put the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN that do not fit into that proper MAJORITY BOX in an embarrassing situation for the sake of a so called Long honored tradition in our PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Lets not forget the OP was about a school that changed to FAMILY DAY to include all the children. Holidays like CHRISTMAS, Mothers Day, Fathers Day NOT being celebrated in PUBLIC SCHOOLS is so obvious. YES, it would give the Majority group more to celebrate, but it would be a slap in the face to those children that did not QUALIFY for the specific day i. e. those that do not live behind a white picket fence with a specific gender MOM and DAD standing in the door way with their SON and DAUGHTER and the family Golden Retriever. That would make a pretty magazine cover, but does not represent the majority. Could it be that we have such a crime rate in this country because so many Children grow up being reminded everyday that they DO NOT FIT INTO THE WAY REAL AMERICANS LIVE. So please think deep and see the faces of the children in the classroom while THE MAJORITY celebrate the holidays that they do not qualify for. I A GRUMPY OLD WHITE GUY from a farm in Iowa fit right in the absolute CENTER of the Majority BUT, I will not rub that into the face of a child without a mother or with out a father or a non-Christan for the sake of the Majority. Some say suck it up and I would ask if you realize you are saying that to Children. This is not about any of us, it is about the feelings of so very many children. Have a wonderful NO SPECIFIC CATEGORY day. |
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I know you believe this but I don't see it this way at all, even if I try really really hard to look at it from your perspective. I have my pet reasons why I don't think kids are being raised with the same principles we were taught, but this doesn't come within a thousandth on the list. I think that parents allow their children to be cared for by folks that they wouldn't allow to drive their car. But I respect your right to see it your way. |
Right on Golfingnut. :thumbup:
There are certain things that do not belong in public schools. Religion, politics and celebrations that exclude others... are but a few. I mean really......how hard is that to understand? :oops: . |
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But this is pushing it to the extreme. Almost everyone has a mother or someone who they love who taught them to pee in the toilet. |
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BUT, keep it out of the public SCHOOLS. |
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The more we eliminate all the "special" holidays that people think offend someone or them, the more we become a generic, soul-less society where everyone is exactly the same. Like Adam Carolla's book title, "In Thirty Years we'll all be chicks". How True! Maybe a better title would be, "in Thirty Years we'll all be the same". How boring.
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I go back and read this thread, and do not see where anyone wants to eliminate any holiday from any category.:shrug:
This thread is about not celebrating specific group holidays in the public schools where there will be children left on the outside looking in because they do not have a mother or a father or they are Jewish. Don't strike out before you know why you are doing it. Now if you think holidays should be celebrated in public schools, MY question to you is would you be OK with Gay Pride day, Islamic Day, Atheist Day and so on. |
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But that isn't being done anymore. Not even Halloween which was SO much fun I thought. We have watered down the fun and taken away the chance to learn by doing this. I don't think religion should be taught in school or ethics per se, but soon rules will be abolished that MOST of us think are important because everyone can't agree and kids will be coming to school if they want bare butt naked because their parents think that is their right and no one will be able to agree on any rules because we would hurt someone's feelings. I do NOT expect agreement, but to me, it seems that it is just common sense and dear heavens, I am so glad I am not on either end of the spectrum here. My goal to be moderate in all things fails sometimes, but I see it as reasonable way to deal with such matters. Sometimes in a democracy, the majority has to rule. I don't know why I wrote this. I respect your right to disagree. Please respect mine. I sure am finding out a LOT more about people as I grow older. I am glad I taught when we had Santa Claus and Dreidels and costumes for Halloween. And I got to be an angel in a play when I was a kid. And ate Christmas cookies and Matzoh with my friends at lunch. And I am glad I got to help the kids when I taught, all of them, make Mother's Day cards and have them explain to whom they were going and why they loved that special person. Thank you dear teachers for showing us ethics in our public schools when I was a kid. Times, they are a changin'. I truly understand and accept how the public schools are today...but this whole issue of Mother's Day is still confusing to me. We couldn't have arrived here without a mother, Everyone has one or a person who stands in that role and making a card for them to me...is nice. |
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:popcorn::popcorn: btk |
Religion and ethics
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It's bad enough that so many schools have abandoned the teaching of civics (our responsibilities as a citizen) and geography (leaving many kids with the thought that the U.S. IS the world, or at least the only world that counts...)! |
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The only ethical standard that's meaningful to me is "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."
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However, our public school system NEVER celebrated Mother's Day nor Father's Day within the school day. Perhaps in the very early grades of elementary, the teachers would do crafts with the children and let them create a gift for one of their parents......to bring home. But it was not celebrated at school. I still have the handcrafted "art" that both our daughter and son brought home back in the 1970's..... Sadly, although Christmas concerts were the norm in their early years of education in the public school system..........due to one family moving into the district, who were from India (and I love Indians; have many for friends)......the Christmas concerts were all cancelled from then on.....as they protested them. The Jewish families had NEVER protested the Christmas concerts which were beautiful and always included winter songs, skating songs, even songs about the draidel. So, a new era dawned..........and then we saw the parades with all of our elementary school children.......etc......celebrating the Aztec Sun God. I kid you not. You tell me who has influence in the public schools? It is or was not the mainstream parents......we and all of our friends and neighbors were the traditional parents.......the "Leave it to Beaver" type parents..........but we all were over ruled by the minority. Gracie..............I HEAR YOU. Don't leave. |
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