I don't know if this is the appropriate section but
By cwohlhart
@cwohlhart (68)
United States
June 4, 2007 10:15pm CST
I have two daughters, age 7 and 11. Recently I started homeschooling them for a couple of reasons, but I think the following dilema was the frosting on the cake.
My children attended a Chicago Public School, its was ok as far as public schools go, but then something happened, and I was uncomfortable and uneasy in my heart, so much so that I withdrew my children. You see, and really I am not trying to sound like a bigot here. I am for diversity, I believe it is a good thing for chldren to learn about different cultures, etc.. I do have a problem when my children and other children are made to feel second rate citizens. Beginning last year, we had a huge influx of muslim children ( there are apartment buildings just a few blocks from the school) cute kids, no doubt, but once this influx started, our kids were not allowed to observe Halloween by dressing up or distrbuting candy ( things that kids love to do) because it offended the muslim children. At Christmas time, no longer were the kids making cut out Christmas trees, or colored ornaments or even for that matter snowmen, it offended the muslim community. BUT.. during Ramadan, which I believe falls sometime in October or it did last year, the muslim children were allowed to openly observe Ramadan and special provisions were made for them.
I had a hard time with this, God forbid a child said Merry Christmas, wore a sweatshirt with any mention of the Christmas Holiday.
Now, I know that the school is " secular", when I think of secular schools, I believe it means completely secular. No exceptions for any faith. Just recently, I heard a plan by Mayor Daley, where he plans on introducing Islam to the Chicago Public Schools to educate children that they must be tolerant. My question and when do we have studies of Buddhists? Jews and Christians, Pagan's etc..
Am I wrong?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
5 Jun 07
Religion is a sensitive thing, especially in the aftermath of 911. Schools should try to be secular, but it is sometimes hard to practise this because in schools where students come from different religious backgrounds, it's hard to draw the line as to what can be practised without being offensive to any particular religion. I suggest you try bringing your issue to the principal letting him/her know your concerns. Bring along other parents who share the same thinking and concern as you. If nothing can be done about the situation to mitigate these differences about practices, then it may be better for you to get your kids to attend some other schools where you face less of such problems.
1 person likes this
@cwohlhart (68)
• United States
5 Jun 07
Lexus, thank you for your suggestion, sadly we did bring this to the principal, our concerns were mute, added to the fact that the mayor is promoting this for next year, I took the girls out, call me stubborn lol
1 person likes this
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
5 Jun 07
If you truly want your public schools to be completely secular, then you would have to be willing to give up all the Christian holiday observances as well. Having said that, this is a nation made up of many cultures, religions and various traditions. I wish schools would allow all the children to share their culture with each other so they, as a generation, will grow up to be less afraid of each other and more accepting of everyone. As for yourself, it sounds like you made the right decision for your own children.
@cwohlhart (68)
• United States
6 Jun 07
Wachit, in your comment you said that we should be willing to give up all Christian Holiday, that was my point, we have.. on the other hand the Muslim children are allowed to openly observe theirs.
1 person likes this
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I'm sorry but no religion belongs in any public school system..there are just far too many for the schools to be able to handle accomedating ALL of them so SOMEONE is bound to be upset, felt left out or denied and so on....As much as I am all for the children (especially kids in todays society) being taught tolerance and more so acceptance of others I think that catering to the Muslim children like that just might create the opposite affect to what the school was hoping for really....
and Good Luck with homeschooling! I homeschooled my kids for 2 yrs and loved it..they went back into the public system (by their choice) when we moved to NY from Canada and they are both Honour Roll students :-D Enjoy it! Be free with it...do it how it will work best for you and your kids ;-)
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
5 Jun 07
It sounds to me like the school is being severely unfair. I grew up a second-class citizen in my neighborhood because of religion, and I think it's wrong, no matter what the religions involved are. Grrr.
I really think that all religion should be left out of public school, for the exact reason that you mentioned: there's no way they are going to actually study or make provisions for all. Picking just one and doing it just makes everyone else feel left out and discriminated against. I grew up going to schools where it seemed only Christians had rights, and as a Pagan it was horrible for me, from kindergarten on up. I wouldn't want any kid to have to feel like that, no matter what their religion.
I'm so sorry for your poor kids that they had to deal with this, and I hope your homeschooling goes well!
1 person likes this
@cwohlhart (68)
• United States
6 Jun 07
I am sorry you had to go through it, it was hard enough to watch my children go through it, so I know how you felt, I really do. Thanks for the support!
2 people like this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
6 Jun 07
I live about 90 miles north of Chicago in Rockford, and when I read the first few lines of this discussion I was positive it was going to be about the violence that has plagued Chicago school children this year. As far as the religious issues in the school go, I feel for you. Our kids still have classroom celebrations, but it is no longer called Christmas or Easter break it is simply "Holiday Observance". Instead of Halloween they do "Fall Celebration", no costumes, but they have in room parties and do fall themed activities. My daughter had one girl in her class this year that was not allowed to participate even in these things because of her religion. I think Mayor Daley is way off base on this one, religion should be taught in the home, not the schools, unless you are going to a private school and that's what you want for your kids. However, that being said, have you ever examined Ramadan and what it means to Muslim people? I worked for Muslims that observed Ramadan, as did their children, and I can tell you it in no way interferred with class or work activities. I am not trying to offend you, but in this day and age we seem to be going out of our way to please everyone, and if removing holiday observances from the cleassroom is one way to do it than it should be done. I think parents as a whole (not you) fail to understand that it is up to us as parents to teach our children tolerance in the home, and religion should be taught in the home also, not in the public school.
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
5 Jun 07
It seems there is tolerence for every culture, every belief except Christian beliefs. Oh, we aren't allowed to say Merry Christmas because it may offend someone, but no one has a problem offending Christians. Personally, I find the term Happy Holidays offensive. See, being Politically Correct can go too far.
In the case of this school, if they can't have it all, then they certainly shouldn't have any of it. No Christmas, then no Ramadan.
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
5 Jun 07
I agree with you 100%. If a school is going to teach tollerance they need to teach it on both sides. I think it is hard to be a minority and we should do our part to make one and all feel welcome, but taking an approach like this is as much racism as anything. Good job on standing up for what is right.
