<p>whatapainthisis–do you have any options as far as changing schools? Sounds like they have problems, of which partying too much is only one symptom!</p>
<p>Mommusic, thank you for your contribution. I was not sure of the dates of celebration of Hanukkah or Ramadan, but what I am sure of is that not a word regarding these holidays came home in a flyer, nor do I believe that my son has been taught about them. </p>
<p>And I emphasize the wording of the letter “Our classroom will be celebrating Christmas on Friday”. This includes all kids, and they will be “celebrating”. Why would a Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or agnostic/atheist “celebrate” this? And since it occurs during classtime, they cannot opt out without being truant from school.</p>
<p>As an aside, I would term my family as somewhat agnostic, but spiritual. We do still have a Christmas tree, give presents, and have a Christmas dinner. These staples of my life have existed since childhood, and I would miss the music, the lights on the tree, watching the excitement of the kids on Christmas morning, and the gathering around the table for my lasagne. My daughter is agnostic and would be upset at the loss of these traditions. These traditions are really not about religious meaning for us any longer, but we would not want them eliminated any more than we would want to eliminate our summer camping trips.</p>
<p>However, I have thought of trying to add additional celebrations in my home from other religions and cultures because I don’t believe that there is any one “right religion”. Unfortunately, because of the lack of education on such religions and cultures, it is hard to know where to begin. I wish that I had learned as a child the basic tenets and rituals of the different religions. </p>
<p>I just think that selection of a religion and enforced celebration at taxpayer expense when children are compelled by law to be in school is wrong.</p>
<p>Mommusic, I am kind of stuck, short of selling my house and moving. Unfortunately, at this grade level, the only option is private Catholic, Lutheran, or Jewish day school!</p>
<p>The Catholic and Lutheran school would be obviously more of the same. If I had to choose a religious school, I’d choose the Jewish school, because they do not teach subordination of women (which is my biggest gripe). But by the 3rd grade, the children in the Jewish day school have a grasp of Hebrew, which is required. There is a private Waldorf school. It is some distance away, and although I love the idea of integrating nature into the curriculum, I have some serious concerns about the Waldorf curriculum. </p>
<p>If we had a Quaker day school or even a Montessori program here, I’d be at the door tommorrow enrolling him.</p>
<p>I don’t think that I took these things seriously enough in the past, and now I provide a lot of enrichment. My son is no longer allowed to have TV or video games during the week. He spends his time putting together his 3D puzzle, playing, doing homework. He sometimes does yoga in the evening with his sister. I take him to dance lessons one day a week, gymnastics on the weekend, and I am always on the lookout for library and community activities. Next year, I am thinking of enrolling him in a Chinese weekend school where he can learn the language and culture.</p>
<p>In 4th grade, my son will become eligible to attend a non-secular private school for boys. While I fear that it may be run by a bunch of elite and pompous men, they do provide an excellent education, and a lot of their children end up in Ivy League schools. Hopefully his dumbed down school won’t render him unable to handle it!</p>
<p>In hindsight, I probably would not have moved here had I known the state of the schools. At the time, my son was an infant and I thought that any suburb was better than the inner city schools. The neighborhood is beautiful, low crime, reasonably priced homes (I do like my home). But it is a small community made up of mostly blue collar senior citizens. I actually ran for school board, and when I went door to door, the senior citizens complained that they should not have to pay taxes for schools. They don’t seem to understand that the seniors will die, and that young people will not come here and buy homes if the schools are not good. I think the mentality is that they can go work at the factory like Dad. But those good factory/Chevy plant jobs do not exist here anymore.</p>
<p><because i=“” don’t=“” believe=“” that=“” there=“” is=“” any=“” one=“” “right=”" religion"=“”>
obviously there is, all religions claim to be the right one…(not saying I’m right simply saying some have to be)</because></p>
<p><i just=“” think=“” that=“” selection=“” of=“” a=“” religion=“” and=“” enforced=“” celebration=“” at=“” taxpayer=“” expense=“” when=“” children=“” are=“” compelled=“” by=“” law=“” to=“” be=“” in=“” school=“” is=“” wrong.=“”>
First, you didn’t word it this way before… So it was confusing, sounded like it was optional and parent led. Second I highly doubt they are enforcing them to celebrate it. Couldn’t an option be, since your students love partying so much, to celebrate every religious holiday (with everyone being “enforced” to be there) Oh, now i see you said that, why not ask what religions everyone partakes in and then decide where to start.
also just as you were commenting on traditions in your home, Christmas is a tradition here, and has “devolved” into a celebration for everyone, not just Christians.</i></p><i just=“” think=“” that=“” selection=“” of=“” a=“” religion=“” and=“” enforced=“” celebration=“” at=“” taxpayer=“” expense=“” when=“” children=“” are=“” compelled=“” by=“” law=“” to=“” be=“” in=“” school=“” is=“” wrong.=“”>
<p><i’d choose=“” the=“” jewish=“” school,=“” because=“” they=“” do=“” not=“” teach=“” subordination=“” of=“” women=“” (which=“” is=“” my=“” biggest=“” gripe)=“”>
Please educate yourself before you speak on religion. Christians do not teach subordination of women, but subordination of everyone. Servitude and humility in the eyes of all, not just women submitting to men.</i’d></p>
<p><why would=“” a=“” jewish,=“” muslim,=“” buddhist,=“” or=“” agnostic=“” atheist=“” “celebrate”=“” this?=“” and=“” since=“” it=“” occurs=“” during=“” classtime,=“” they=“” cannot=“” opt=“” out=“” without=“” being=“” truant=“” from=“” school.=“”>
I’m a Christian, and if my school had a buddhist party i would attend. I wouldn’t pledge my allegiance spiritually to buddha, or pray with them, but i would attend in good spirit.
To mommusic: Honestly, thats ridiculous that people criticized you for saying God instead of Jesus, since technically Christians believe in the Holy Trinity (all three, Jesus, God, Holy Spirit are one) So don’t get that one. Maybe there are some extreme cases, my point was that, they are just that: extreme.</why></p>
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<p>Haha sorry, i just can’t believe you would try to say that Christians teach the subordination of women… How outdated of a generalization is that?</p>
<p>“To me, this “party mentality” is a precursor to the beer swilling, sports fanatic, run off to grunt jobs and underachieving mentality that I see in the community. Yeah, we might not be good students, but we sure know how to PARTY!”</p>
<p>Honestly, I have no idea why you aren’t asked to help more?</p>
<p>esmitty–
</p>
<p>A) many fundamentalist Christian sects teach this.
B) women cannot be priests in the Catholic church, or in the Mormon church.
So you must be referring to the other Christian sects.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I appreciate your inclusive spirit, but I have to disagree with you here. Jews do not celebrate Christmas. </p>
<p>And the OP was complaining about all the parties, not saying students should be allowed to have lots of parties. One could celebrate a different world festival, feast day, or saint’s day every day, I suppose, but that way lies madness.</p>
<p>And “extreme” may mean wacky, but it doesn’t mean it happens infrequently.</p>
<p>The funny thing is you stated you want your childed to be cultured, he will not be very cultured if you shelter him all of his life. He will not be cultured at all if you try to teach him different religious ideas, judging from your incorrect generalizations about Christians.</p>
<p><b) women=“” cannot=“” be=“” priests=“” in=“” the=“” catholic=“” church,=“” or=“” mormon=“” church.=“”>
HAHA okay mormans ARE NOT Christians… They follow the book of mormon, which goes directly against the bible…
<i appreciate=“” your=“” inclusive=“” spirit,=“” but=“” i=“” have=“” to=“” disagree=“” with=“” you=“” here.=“” jews=“” do=“” not=“” celebrate=“” christmas.=“”>
my neighbors are jewish…I can see a christmas tree with presents under it in from my window right now. Gosh people stop with the generalizations…
<that way=“” lies=“” madness=“”>
quoting shakespeare? and a little out of context…
<and “extreme”=“” may=“” mean=“” wacky,=“” but=“” it=“” doesn’t=“” happens=“” infrequentlyl.=“”>
generalizations…</and></that></i></b)></p><i appreciate=“” your=“” inclusive=“” spirit,=“” but=“” i=“” have=“” to=“” disagree=“” with=“” you=“” here.=“” jews=“” do=“” not=“” celebrate=“” christmas.=“”>
</i>
<p><a) many=“” fundamentalist=“” christian=“” sects=“” teach=“” this.=“”>
Do you have an example because I know a lot of fundamentalist Christians, alot of my teachers (i go to a Christian school, but I did attend public school sophomore and junior year so i have credentials to speak for both), and they would be appalled that they were pigeon-holed into this stereotype</a)></p>
<p>Although the Bible does not teach the superiority of men, and condemns domination by men, it does teach that the principal authority, or headship, within the Christian community is to be exercised by men. ( just for the record)</p>
<p>whatapainthisis–it’s too late in the year to change, but if the Jewish school is appealing, you might look into it. Surely they get other transfers who have not been able to attend a Jewish school and don’t know Hebrew. They may have a remedial option. Hebrew, like Latin, is part of a good foundation for a classical education! ;)</p>
<p>I can understand your “nice” neighborhood having less than outstanding schools. They were probably fine a generation ago, but when most voters in the district are seniors, they do tend to let the schools stagnate. Funding is a perennial problem everywhere, and having a large number of constituents on a fixed income doesn’t help. </p>
<p>And it’s hard when you know your kid isn’t being adequately served by the system, but the other parents may not be that aware. All I can say is, get organized and be as active as you can. Are there low test scores you can point to as a basis for more parental involvement–in programs that will encourage more reading, for example?</p>
<p>But we’re getting off topic!</p>
<p>esmitty–you must be so proud that you recognized a quote from Shakespeare!</p>
<p>esmitty,</p>
<p>“Southern Baptist Convention’s official position[81] is to prohibit females from becoming clergy, and to insist that a wife “graciously submit” to the leadership of her husband. Members of an individual (“local”) Southern Baptist church are allowed to vote on matters of business of the church that include the hiring of a pastor. However, many churches that have chosen female clergy as their pastor have been disenfranchised by either local or state Baptist associations.”</p>
<p>Unfortunately there are some denominations where the roles of women are restricted and an even larger number ( Roman Catholic, Orthodox, some Lutheran and Presbyterian synods) where women can’t be ordained.</p>
<p>In the bible women are considered full and equal servants of God. So anyone who “subordinates them” is going directly against biblical teaching. Just in case that is actually happening in places, which i don’t believe it is. This is a thing of the past, and people who believe this are either overly feminist or simply ignorant.</p>
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</p>
<p>Right. We’re all ignorant and you are quite sure this never happens. Talk about being sheltered.</p>
<p>Well, the Southern Baptist Convention, being overly conservative, is wrong there. Unless they phrased it so that the husband and wife submit to each other…not the wife to the husband…
Regardless…the point of the discussion is, or was, more about religion in public schools.
And to get back on that point
Mommusic: what do you have to say about my jewish neighbors who have a christmas tree and decorations for christmas as well as a jewish star and all that…??
Is it so hard to believe that other people celebrate christmas…?
and to mommusic…of course i recognized a quote from king lear… I also recognize sarcasm</p>
<p>Haha I don’t think i’m the sheltered one, though i have no clue as to whether or not you are. Let me rephrase that, your opinion is ignorant. You are not, at least you dont seem to be. If you want to back up your opinion, support it with examples of men in church positions subordinating women (especially in christian schools since that was the topic)</p>
<p>^^You’re Jewish neighbors have a Christmas tree?</p>