Schools these days seem to have a lot of policies that help avoid any problems with its students who might have diverse backgrounds. Many holidays and special occasions are not celebrated because of this. There is something I don’t get, though. I don’t get why, in my school, we aren’t allowed to celebrate Halloween, but we do celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. My school isn’t even a school based on a specific religion.
During the last week of October, we get letters sent home warning that we won’t be allowed into school if we wear any costumes or make-up. They don’t actually leave us outside, they just ask us to take off anything they think is related to Halloween. Our teachers sometimes secretly give us candy. But, other than that, you won’t know that it’s Halloween if you’re in my school.
St. Valentine’s Day is a whole different story. We actually have a dance that goes on every year around Valentine’s Day. We have this thing where you can anonymously (or if you’d rather, “un-anonymously”) order a gift for someone else, that they’ll get later. The cafetorium (our school’s too small for an auditorium, so our cafeteria doubles as one) is decorated for the occasion.
What I don’t get is why we refuse to celebrate a holiday deprived from a religous holiday, when we go crazy celbrating a religious holiday. I mean there’s nothing really wrong with Halloween, other than the egs and shaving cream. St. Valentine’s Day is a holiday in honor of a saint, which goes against the school system’s idea of not celebrating religious occasions.
Maybe it’s the fact that some holidays have become more commericla than others nowadays. That would be no reason for not allowing an unreligious holiday while allowing one that is religious.
You’ve got a good point. Sometimes I think that some people in general think they have the power to pick away holidays or occasions they don’t link and leave others. I even think sometimes they think it for the good of others.
What are they smokin’?