September 29, 2007
Why do they come here?
Why do foreign nationals come here?
For some recent immigrants, it's certainly not to become "Americans," to leave behind the strictures of the Old World and allow their children to partake of the culture that -- in the past -- turned immigrants from countless nations into one people: Americans.
Assimilate?
Not interested.
Melting pot?
How insulting.
Learn to fit into American society?
Don't be ridiculous.
No, what they want is the economic prosperity and personal security that Americans enjoy, while forcing changes to eliminate those aspects of the United States that conflict with their Old-World customs and mores.
Here's the latest example.
So long, Halloween parade. Farewell, Santa's gift shop.
The holiday traditions are facing elimination in some Oak Lawn schools this year after complaints that the activities are offensive, particularly to Muslim students.
Final decisions on which of the festivities will be axed will fall to the principals at each of Ridgeland School District 122's five schools, Supt. Tom Smyth said.
Parents expect that the announcement is going to add to the tension that has been building since officials agreed earlier this month to change the lunch menu to exclude items containing pork to accommodate Muslim students. News that Jell-O was struck from the menu caused such a stir that officials have agreed to bring it back. Gelatin is often made with tissue or bones of pigs or other animals.
That controversy now appears to have been been dwarfed by the holiday debate, which became so acrimonious Wednesday that police were called to Columbus Manor School to intervene in a shouting match among parents.
"It's difficult when you change the school's culture," said Columbus Manor Principal Sandy Robertson.
Elizabeth Zahdan, a mother of three District 122 students, says she took her concerns to the school board this month, not because she wanted to do away with the traditions, but rather to make them more inclusive. "I only wanted them modified to represent everyone," she said.
Nixing them isn't the response she was looking for. "Now the kids are not being educated about other people," she said.
[...]
Robertson is hoping to strike compromises that will keep traditions alive and be culturally acceptable to all students -- nearly half of whom are of Arab descent at Columbus Manor, she says. Fewer than a third of students districtwide are of Arab descent, according to Smyth.
Following the example of Lieb Elementary School, Columbus Manor School will exchange the annual Halloween parade for a fall festival next month. The holiday gift bazaars at both schools also will remain, but they'll likely be moved to the PTA-sponsored after-school winter festival. And Santa's annual visit probably will be on a Saturday.
I am the great-grandson of Eastern-European Jewish immigrants. I grew up at a time when we still learned about and participated in the non-religious aspects of Christmas, Easter and Halloween.
My memories of singing carols in the annual Christmas show; coloring eggs on Easter; and dressing up for Halloween are some of the happiest of my childhood, notwithstanding the fact that I was not a Christian. I was not scarred, damaged or hurt from being exposed to and participating in these holidays. Decorating my friend's Christmas tree was great fun, and never made me want to have one of my own.
I wasn't threatened by these rituals and celebrations, and I have a hard time believing that it's good for society -- for America -- to neuter our customs in order to avoid offending a group of immigrants who apparently want things to remain as they were back in Kissmyassistan.
This can't be good for us.
Or the U.S.
Posted by Mike Lief at September 29, 2007 05:16 PM
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Comments
This is the best stuff I've ever seen you write. Is it not the purpose of education (including christmas programs, halloween celebrations, etc...) to purpetuate American culture? I know few people my age (40ish) who were raised Jewish that dislike Christmas or any other non Jewish holiday (frankly, my experience is that Jewish people love to celebrate regardless of the holiday! Ex husband is Jewish and have raised my children Jewish, although I am not, so I feel that I have a voice here). But suddenly there is an uprising, a sense of entitlement, from some people (of varying religious, and non religous, backgrounds) and the feeling is that in celebrating these holidays we are somehow offending or slighting their beliefs. Can it not be an American culture? Can it not be that "many" of us believe this so we will celebrate it in a non religous way?
I am an educator and I laugh as we teach and promote multiculturalism (which I believe in strongly...but in the sense that it's our goal, not our objective)however, we still teach and enculturate our students with American values...it's just natural. I don't know how to teach in a way that's nonAmerican...I can teach about other values, but what we know is that kids learn through modeling. What I share with them in my class is nothing compared to what they learn at home. Culture and direction come from home, not school. I can teach tolerance, but if they don't see that at home nothing I do will change the situation.
Posted by: dawn at October 3, 2007 07:35 PM