jbailey Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 are you kidding me? https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/happy-orange-and-black-day-canadian-schools-turn-122333329.html It is that spooky time of year when Canadian parents and students in small pockets around the country bristle at being told their schools will not be celebrating Halloween this year. Instead, children will be welcome to celebrate something a little safer, something that doesn’t have its roots in the occult. Call it Spirit Day, or Black and Orange Day, or just Friday. This year’s Ground Zero for anti-Halloween outrage is Windsor, Ont., where parents are unhappy that Anderon Public School has barred Halloween costumes and parties. The Windsor Star reports that the public elementary school has instead implemented “Black and Orange Day.” Which, y’know, are the colours of the Halloween season. There will be no parade, and costumes are outright discouraged, with the school saying it would be neat if kids wore black and orange clothing. Though it’s not all trick, there will be some treat: Classes are welcome to hold discussions about the history of Halloween and the different customs that have been practiced over the years. On its website, Anderon Public Elementary School says they stopped allowing candy a few years ago, and the latest shift is to meet its commitment to inclusivity: Halloween is an exciting time of year for many families. However, in some Anderdon households it is not observed at all, and therefore a school wide celebration presents with some anxiety around that day for many of our students. The observation of Halloween is not part of the curriculum and is a tradition that is celebrated by some but not inclusive to all. That’s the part that riles some parents: The idea of inclusivity through limitations. “Parents are upset about seeing Canadians continually give up traditions and losing sight of accepting others for whoever they are,” parent Shannon Taylor told the Star. “My nine-year-old son came home (last Friday) and said, ‘Mom, they’re taking away everything that was fun at school.’” The Windsor school isn’t alone. North Ward School in Paris, Ont., is banning Halloween for the first time this year for a variety of reasons, including the increased level of supervision needed to monitor the appropriateness of costumes, and the frequency with which hot, uncomfortable costumes make children cry during class. A London, Ont., school board candidate actually ran on the promise to deny schools the right to ban Halloween based on the fact there is no board policy on the matter. This issue is by no means new. In recent years, a handful of schools have joined the movement against Halloween. Last year, the popular Halloween alternative was “Spirit Day,” so at least we are making progress on that front. Black and Orange Day at least acknowledges that October 31 was once Halloween. Now it has just been given a maudlin name to avoid offending anyone. Sort of like how Ottawa’s CFL team is called the RedBlacks, because who’s going to get offended and mount a petition against a couple of random words smashed together? While Halloween has its roots in Christianity, that influence is gone completely at this time. TheVatican recently condemned Halloween for its “undercurrent of occultism.” Either way, it is increasingly becoming a non-starter in Canadian schools. And parents are noticing. Just wait until classes start marking Dec. 25 with Red and White Ho Ho Happy Day.
kickingfrog Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Halloween is bigger, and generates more money, then ever. It's fine. Somehow we will get through.
Big Cliff Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Get use to it! If you are Christian you will be stripped of everything to do with your religion but don't you dare say a word about any other religions beliefs or symbols, you'll be called a racist, biggot, idiot, hate mongerer! O'Canada, YOUR home and native land!
tb4me Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Brutal..More of our values stripped from us..Sadly it wont be long until every day is the same..No holidays for us
davey buoy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Who and why do we let this happen,no one else will.
kickingfrog Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Remember when we went to school to learn?
davey buoy Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Remember when we went to school to learn? And halloween,the good ole days
chris.brock Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 I always love Halloween, as a kid, and even now, the stupidity of that article is frustrating the weather sucks again, but hopefully everybody has a fun night and stays safe
kickingfrog Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Never wore a costume to school in the 70's and 80's. If I'd come home an hour before trick or treating with a wrecked costume I'd have been wearing my dad's boot instead. That's the good ole days. Not this eternal juvenile state that many live in now.
Sinker Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 My son wasn't allowed to wear his costume to school today either. What a crock of bull. He also got in trouble for talking about killing geese. The principle got a right good earful from me over that one though. S.
tb4me Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Remember when we went to school to learn? I do, I also remember the costume parade around the block for all the students, and Christmas carols at the Christmas concert..Go figure
ccmtcanada Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 My daughter's school in Whitby had a costume dance for the intermediate students and the younger students did a parade to every classroom and portable.
Headhunter Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 I bet she had fun Cliff! Happy Halloween everyone! HH
porkpie Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 Must be living in cities. Here the kids wear their costumes to school, the teachers hand out Halloween candies and have class Halloween parties, and everyone has a pumpkin out!
bigugli Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 I do, I also remember the costume parade around the block for all the students, and Christmas carols at the Christmas concert..Go figure We also had caroling in the main auditorium every morning in high school I also remember my parents and grandparents taking me to the cenotaph every Remembrance Day as a child. When my kids were in school, they were led out to the local cenotaph by their teachers, or by myself, on the 11th.
jbailey Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Posted October 31, 2014 Halloween is bigger, and generates more money, then ever. It's fine. Somehow we will get through. you mean black and orange day.
Sinker Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 Must be living in cities. Here the kids wear their costumes to school, the teachers hand out Halloween candies and have class Halloween parties, and everyone has a pumpkin out!Ive never lived in a city in my life, and neither have my kids. Im a half hour from the nearest city actually.
porkpie Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 Ive never lived in a city in my life, and neither have my kids. Im a half hour from the nearest city actually. You got problems then man! That is unusual to say the least!
Sinker Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 Apparently not so unusual.....just plain stupid!! S.
muskymatt Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 lol I thought this was going to be a post about my favorite Ottawa river spinnerbait colors
Rod Caster Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 Halloween is one the stupidest holidays. 2 billion generated in candy revenue? And people (adults) are trying to protect it as a value, or a Canadian tradition? I'm as Canadian as they get and I do not understand the full out defense of these pseudo traditions in schools. They offer all kinds of non-school- based Halloween events in every community. Set up your own traditional event. I will be making up my own tradition with my daughter whereas we do not buy any directly marketed crap, she can dress up if she wants, no trick or treating and several good food donations , hand delivered in costume maybe, to charitable organizations, or friends, acquaintances etc . Who wouldn't rather get a deer roast or home grown produce or baked lasagna?. The orange signifies the harvest, now what happened to that aspect of Halloween? KF said it right, perpetual childhood rules this "holiday"
Big Cliff Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 If that were the reason that Halloween (or All Saints' Eve) was been taken out of our schools then I MIGHT go along with it. The reason it is been taken out of our schools is because some people of (some) other than Christian religions feel it is offensive and that their children shouldn't have to be subjected to it. It's the same reason that Christmas and the lords prayer are no longer in our public schools. On top of that, why the heck shouldn't the kids be allowed to be kids and have some fun. If you don't like the tradition then you don't have to participate but don't spoil it for everyone just because you don't believe in it! Lots of people don't like hunters or fishermen so plenty of them wouldn't like your venison roast, should they have the right to stop you from hunting or fishing?
davey buoy Posted November 1, 2014 Report Posted November 1, 2014 (edited) If that were the reason that Halloween (or All Saints' Eve) was been taken out of our schools then I MIGHT go along with it. The reason it is been taken out of our schools is because some people of (some) other than Christian religions feel it is offensive and that their children shouldn't have to be subjected to it. It's the same reason that Christmas and the lords prayer are no longer in our public schools. On top of that, why the heck shouldn't the kids be allowed to be kids and have some fun. If you don't like the tradition then you don't have to participate but don't spoil it for everyone just because you don't believe in it! Lots of people don't like hunters or fishermen so plenty of them wouldn't like your venison roast, should they have the right to stop you from hunting or fishing? Well said Cliff,it seems to be the norm more often than not. Pretty sad IMO. Edited November 1, 2014 by davey buoy
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