School district axes Halloween, bans costumes on basis of 'diversity, equity, and inclusion'

[seafoam1 2,922]

You know, if they just came out and said we aren't here to provide entertainment activities, we are here to teach your kids how to read and write and add. I would have been fine with it.

But no. It's because of "diversity, equity, and inclusion". These focking liberal idiots make everything they can about race.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/superintendent-cancels-halloween-bans-costumes-school-dei-claims-harm-students-dignity

A New Jersey school district canceled official school-wide Halloween celebrations, citing its diversity, equity and inclusion values and the purported potential for the festival to be offensive to people from various cultural and religious backgrounds. 

Dr. Ronald G. Taylor, the superintendent of the South Orange & Maplewood School District (SOMSD), sent a letter to families on Oct. 6 explaining why any Halloween celebrations in the district will have to be held after school hours.

"As you know, SOMSD is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion meaningfully - not just saying the words but also promoting an inclusive school... Our aim is to build a consistent approach across the District as to how our schools observe and celebrate holidays and special events," Taylor wrote.  "Each year, questions arise from families, students, and staff about what SOMSD schools will be doing regarding Halloween." 

The district reflected on the following questions:

"Is promoting school-sponsored Halloween activities creating indirect and unintentional financial hardships for students and families? Do school-sponsored Halloween activities violate the dignity of some of our students and families, either culturally or religiously? Does the promotion of school-sponsored Halloween activities create tensions with the equity and access values of SOMSD?"

The superintendent's letter continued, "Ultimately, it was determined that I know this may make some uncomfortable and elicit some challenges across our community. However, in the end, I feel these recommendations align with SOMSD’s commitment to building equity." 

On the district's website, another release stated principals were surveyed on whether school-sponsored Halloween celebrations should continue or be replaced with a festival that is focused on autumn. They state the principals' "overwhelming" response favored in canceling Halloween celebrations in school. 

"All of us realize that this breaks with what the District has usually done, and that can be a difficult thing to do sometimes," Dr. Kevin Gilbert, Assistant Superintendent of Access and Equity, said. "Often, working to instill greater equity in our district begins with recognizing that we cannot do what we have always done. But with this decision, we are taking a step closer to upholding our community’s access and equity values."

Fox News Digital reached out to the district for comment and was referred to its previous statement. The district said Halloween was not canceled but was banned from school hours. 

"We will not have any Halloween-themed events at any SOMSD schools during school hours," it said. "No costumes will be worn during school hours at our SOMSD schools."

It added, "Schools can partner with PTAs, HSAs, or other outside organizations to do themed events after school hours." 

[Engorgeous George 2,284]

What if a kid is not dressing up for a celebration of Halloween, but instead is dressing up to express their identity as a cat, or a vampire, or a transpirit, or John Elway or Bob Marley or a Ninja Turtle?  Should not adherence to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion direct respect for those beliefs, those identities, and if not why should some students be allowed to present themselves as the opposite sex or gender?  Is one identity more protected than the next and if so on what legal or rational basis?  .  

[Hardcore troubadour 15,265]

Liberals, many of them here. DGAF. They didn’t have to put up with this shitt while their kids were coming up.  

[TBayXXXVII 2,521]

Personally, I think Halloween is stupid.  That said, if people want to have their fun, let them.  To restrict based it on a faux agenda is pure pandering and does nothing but harm the majority more than help the minority.

[Engorgeous George 2,284]

What if someone of hispanic heritage is not dressing to celebrate halloween but to honor their cultural traditions associated with la Dia de los Muertos?  Can such cultural insensitivity be tolerated?

[BuckSwope 654]

Good.  School is just for reading and writing, correct? 

[seafoam1 2,922]

7 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Personally, I think Halloween is stupid.  That said, if people want to have their fun, let them.  To restrict based it on a faux agenda is pure pandering and does nothing but harm the majority more than help the minority.

I love Halloween. Brings in the full mood of the fall season moving into winter. It's the prelude to Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. Such a cool time of year. It is the perfect compliment to spring. I get a kick out of the home decorations and all that comes with it. I haven't gone to a Halloween party or dressed up since I was in my late teens, but whatever. It's just a happy time of year for me. 

I think the only time of year that can get to me negatively is January/February time frame depending on the weather. Sometimes the winter in the north is just so unrelenting as it can hang around for a bit too long. 

[seafoam1 2,922]

3 minutes ago, Engorgeous George said:

What if someone of hispanic heritage is not dressing to celebrate halloween but to honor their cultural traditions associated with la Dia de los Muertos?  Can such cultural insensitivity be tolerated?

Only white people and white traditions will NOT be tolerated. The rest of the races, all religions, celebrations, holidays, and remembrances are their heritage and worthy of celebration in these United States. We white people should all be killed I guess. 

[SUXBNME 1,482]

When you take the fun out of the kid, it gets rid of the fun of being a kid. - Mike Shadows

[seafoam1 2,922]

3 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

Good.  School is just for reading and writing, correct? 

That is not what the school is claiming. They are doing it in the name of equity for some dumb ass reason. And on top of things, they all suck at the education part. 

[GutterBoy 2,899]

7 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

Good.  School is just for reading and writing, correct? 

Exactly, these dumb righties always try and have it both ways.

Me personally, I think this is stupid.  Let the kids dress up and celebrate.  This is a case of douche bags using DEI as an excuse.  There is nothing unequitable about putting on a costume and having fun.

[Alias Detective 1,394]

31 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

Good.  School is just for reading and writing, correct? 

No, its to preach equity, diversity and inclusion - to hell with learning.  Aks Baltimore schools. 

[Engorgeous George 2,284]

School dances are inequitable since white folk have no rhythm.

[RogerDodger 798]

Poors can't afford a Halloween costume now.  

The best ones are always handmade from readily available materials anyway.  Just go dressed as Gutterboy:

 

 

[RogerDodger 798]

55 minutes ago, TBayXXXVII said:

Personally, I think Halloween is stupid.  

Are you nuts?  It has to be in the top 3 of holidays.  It gives all the housewives an excuse to dress up slutty.  

[TheNewGirl 1,460]

I they remove Halloween and any celebrations, then need to remove the rest. No holiday parties, no Valentine's Day, NOTHING for children. 

Let them celebrate on their own time. 

[BuckSwope 654]

52 minutes ago, GutterBoy said:

Exactly, these dumb righties always try and have it both ways.

Me personally, I think this is stupid.  Let the kids dress up and celebrate.  This is a case of douche bags using DEI as an excuse.  There is nothing unequitable about putting on a costume and having fun.

Of course it's stupid.   It's odd that the answer seems to be exclude everyone instead of figuring out ways to include a few left out.   

I'm sure for some of these decisions, it comes down more to not wanting to deal with a couple crazy Karen moms. 

[seafoam1 2,922]

1 hour ago, GutterBoy said:

Exactly, these dumb righties always try and have it both ways.

Me personally, I think this is stupid.  Let the kids dress up and celebrate.  This is a case of douche bags using DEI as an excuse.  There is nothing unequitable about putting on a costume and having fun.

It's all to put focus on a topic they want to dominate our society. DEI or bust. 

[BuckSwope 654]

38 minutes ago, TheNewGirl said:

I they remove Halloween and any celebrations, then need to remove the rest. No holiday parties, no Valentine's Day, NOTHING for children. 

Let them celebrate on their own time. 

I'm surprised they haven't already.  Columbus was a mass murderer, Thanksgiving brings up native trauma, Christmas is too religious, valentines day probably excludes queer too much, Easter is religious, etc.    Not sure what's left that doesn't offend some snowflake. 

[Alias Detective 1,394]

1 minute ago, BuckSwope said:

I'm surprised they haven't already.  Columbus was a mass murderer, Thanksgiving brings up native trauma, Christmas is too religious, valentines day probably excludes queer too much, Easter is religious, etc.    Not sure what's left that doesn't offend some snowflake. 

bwahahahahah

 

[TheNewGirl 1,460]

1 minute ago, BuckSwope said:

I'm surprised they haven't already.  Columbus was a mass murderer, Thanksgiving brings up native trauma, Christmas is too religious, valentines day probably excludes queer too much, Easter is religious, etc.    Not sure what's left that doesn't offend some snowflake. 

You can't even have a "general" type of celebration; like "Spring Party" where kinds bring in snacks or whatever and they watch a movie. That's what I remember school "parties" being...or there were games we'd play, etc. You can't even do that. 

[Alias Detective 1,394]

2 minutes ago, BuckSwope said:

I'm surprised they haven't already.  Columbus was a mass murderer, Thanksgiving brings up native trauma, Christmas is too religious, valentines day probably excludes queer too much, Easter is religious, etc.    Not sure what's left that doesn't offend some snowflake. 

 

Just now, Alias Detective said:

bwahahahahah

 

Am I wrong @mmmmm...beer

[League Champion 1,909]

The Left does it again

You can be a Boy and dress up as a girl though, huh?? 

[BuckSwope 654]

2 minutes ago, TheNewGirl said:

You can't even have a "general" type of celebration; like "Spring Party" where kinds bring in snacks or whatever and they watch a movie. That's what I remember school "parties" being...or there were games we'd play, etc. You can't even do that. 

Of course not, the movie would probably offend someone or the snacks would be a no-no.  

Plus, they should just be reading and doing math anyway. 

[BuckSwope 654]

1 minute ago, League Champion said:

The Left does it again

You can be a Boy and dress up as a girl though, huh?? 

Correct. Just not on Halloween. 

[GutterBoy 2,899]

Also the Gov of NJ, Phildo, a Democrat, said this is stupid.

[League Champion 1,909]

5 minutes ago, GutterBoy said:

Also the Gov of NJ,

NJ has a Government? What exactly do they do? 

[TheNewGirl 1,460]

2 minutes ago, League Champion said:

NJ

 

Remove caps, please. 

[League Champion 1,909]

3 minutes ago, TheNewGirl said:

Remove caps, please. 

nj 

[Baker Boy 1,694]

2 hours ago, BuckSwope said:

Good.  School is just for reading and writing, correct? 

No, you forgot math. But today I know the left doesn’t feel Math is important but the right does.
 

by the way, you can do both, Halloween is only one day and you can learn while you’re having fun.

[IGotWorms 4,057]

Yeah that’s pretty dumb. Thank goodness I don’t live in that district

[BuckSwope 654]

57 minutes ago, Baker Boy said:

No, you forgot math. But today I know the left doesn’t feel Math is important but the right does.
 

by the way, you can do both, Halloween is only one day and you can learn while you’re having fun.

Does this apply to diversity days or pride days too? 

[MDC 7,285]

4 hours ago, BuckSwope said:

Good.  School is just for reading and writing, correct? 

 

[Dozer FBG 325]

Back when I worked in public education I hated Halloween. By far the stupidest holiday…

I don’t get the diversity argument here, but once you get passed elementary school, No got dam costumes in school.

[IGotWorms 4,057]

31 minutes ago, Dozer FBG said:

Back when I worked in public education I hated Halloween. By far the stupidest holiday…

I don’t get the diversity argument here, but once you get passed elementary school, No got dam costumes in school.

Yeah that’s fair. Once you’re like 11 or 12 (before middle school) it starts getting a little ridiculous anyway 

[seafoam1 2,922]

38 minutes ago, Dozer FBG said:

Back when I worked in public education

Hahahaaa. Of course you're a liberal elementary public school teacher.

Worst humans on the planet. 

[Engorgeous George 2,284]

18 minutes ago, seafoam1 said:

Hahahaaa. Of course you're a liberal elementary public school teacher.

Worst humans on the planet. 

Maybe he was the Dean of discipline at a High School Boys Reformatory.

Maybe he coached the Titans or taught calculus to inner city hard asses.

[Voltaire 5,281]

9 hours ago, League Champion said:

The Left does it again

You can be a Boy and dress up as a girl though, huh?? 

The DEI rule is that you have to do it 365 days a year. Doing it just for Halloween offends them. Costumes that offend leftoids go to the top of the list because: fock them.

[Dozer FBG 325]

Yeah, and I wore a hand woven stocking cap, held drum circles when taking attendance, and I rainbow tie-dyed an American flag and hung it upside down next to the overhead projector.

You focking judgmental prix. Once again your world view is made up bullshirt based on a right wing fever dream.

I was a high school shop teacher, for the record. Some traditional woodworking classes, lots of drafting, electricity/electronics, then the more modern applied science stuff, automation, etc.

I was dam good and worked my ass off for my students.

Three years as an administrator too… I have a much different perspective than most of you bomb throwers around here…

Retired long before Covid and all the Trumpism bullshirt.

 

[Dozer FBG 325]

Also for the record, the folks who knew me back then would crack up if they heard the idea of me teaching elementary kids!

COVER YOUR GOT DAM MOUTH WHEN YOU COUGH YOU UNKEMPT DEMON!!!