Following a school board meeting where parent complained about what the saw as an assault on traditional American celebrations, an Oak Lawn school district has decided to keep observing Halloween and Christmas, but only on the condition that Muslim holiday Ramadan is celebrated as well.
The school district had asked principals to tone down all holiday celebrations after a Muslim mother requested that her children be separated from others during lunch for the Ramadan fast.
But after heated remarks from many parents at the meeting Tuesday, the school board changed its position.
“Everything is staying the same,” school board member Dave Lis said. “Christmas is still Christmas, and Halloween is still Halloween.”
That’s good news to fifth-grader Samantha Ramirez, who looks forward to Santa’s annual visit to Columbus Manor School.
“We should be able to celebrate our thing, and they should be able to celebrate theirs, too,” the 10-year-old said.
This is an absolutely reasonable action taken from a district that is 30% arab-american.
The simple wisdom of the child quoted is refreshing:
“We should be able to celebrate our thing, and they should be able to celebrate theirs, too,”
“The school district had asked principals to tone down all holiday celebrations after a Muslim mother requested that her children be separated from others during lunch for the Ramadan fast.”
Depriving a school child of food and drink during daylight hours is child abuse. What a barbaric faux-religion.
Children are not normally expected to fast during Ramadan, particularly before age 12 or so. Nor, for that matter, are the aged, the sick and infirm, or those travelling great distances … although these latter two may fast an equal number of days [i]after[/i] the Eid, and the aged are encouraged in charity rather than fasting.
I went to a school seriously depopulated on Yom Kippur, and thus have no problem in theory with a school honoring Ramadan for one day — probably the 27th (Lailat al Qadr) would be the best.
Nevertheless, there is a concerted effort afoot to force American institutions into making special accommodations for Muslims, whilst simultaneously attempting to reduce the visibility of Christian and Jewish activities.
Children are indeed exempt from the requirement to fast during Ramadan. However many want to participate and are strongly encouraged to participate as it is such a significant time in the family and among the community. Fasting for all or part of the day is thus not uncommon even for young children. (In the UK muslim organizations have issued guidlines advising schools to limit the physical activity of fasting school children in case they become dehydrated).
If Muslims have a problem with the kfur, they should do the conmsistent thing and move to Shariahland, where their sensitivities will not be offended. Why are they reluctant to do this? Instead, they are trying to make Kaffirstan into Shariahland with their whining victimology.
Data from England, where there are many people of Indian and Pakistani origin, shows that British Hindu Indians are notably wealthier and better educated than Pakistani British Muslims.
There is some evidence I have seen to suggest that islamic immigrants to the UK assimilate much more slowly than other immigrant communities.
I have never understood school boards who get all reactionary and cancel all holidays. We’ll be fair by being scrooges to everyone. I don’t see why most schools can’t do what the school board in this article suggests.
Now if only the [url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/091407dnmetflags.2ce0ff3.html]University of Texas at Arlington[/url] could follow this school district’s example.
Maybe they can celebrate Ramadan with a minute of silence for 9/11.
I echo #2 – from the mouths of babes.