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Parent of pupil against Halloween poem

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
What do u guys think?

Private or public school?

If public, you get what you pay for.
Public schools, I don't think any child should get special treatment because of their religious beliefs. Kid, doesn't want to do it, ok, the kid fails the assignment.
 
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MJ Bailey

Member
Education as I was taught in the aspect of understanding logical matters. For instance a poem I was asked to remember was; Thirty days hath September April June and November all the rest have thirty one except February which has eight and one score and leap year gives it one day more. If you are asking a person to remember something that has no relevance to the logic in which is being taught. If the teacher was trying to induce memory exercises, IMO poems as such I was asked to adhere are way more relevant and substantial.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Education as I was taught in the aspect of understanding logical matters. For instance a poem I was asked to remember was; Thirty days hath September April June and November all the rest have thirty one except February which has eight and one score and leap year gives it one day more. If you are asking a person to remember something that has no relevance to the logic in which is being taught. If the teacher was trying to induce memory exercises, IMO poems as such I was asked to adhere are way more relevant and substantial.


Wow...in Italian we have that poem too:p:p

Trenta giorni ha Settembre
Con Aprile Giugno e Novembre
Di 28 ce n'è solo uno
Tutti gli altri ne hanno trentuno
 

MJ Bailey

Member
Private or public school?

If public, you get what you pay for.
Public schools, I don't think any child should get special treatment because of their religious beliefs. Kid, doesn't want to do it, ok, the kid fails the assignment.
All religion should be left out of all scenarios. If the teacher can not set aside their own beliefs they should in no way be teaching at a public school. The idiom of trying to bend other's to your own belief is hidden behind such "teachers" in which try to say "well, here's a poem I want you to memorize" (although it has no relevance to what I am here to teach you about) but memorize it or you fail.....?????? I would think that that teacher is in quite a lacking of their own beliefs or maybe some other quantifiable psychological distress
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
All religion should be left out of all scenarios. If the teacher can not set aside their own beliefs they should in no way be teaching at a public school. The idiom of trying to bend other's to your own belief is hidden behind such "teachers" in which try to say "well, here's a poem I want you to memorize" (although it has no relevance to what I am here to teach you about) but memorize it or you fail.....?????? I would think that that teacher is in quite a lacking of their own beliefs or maybe some other quantifiable psychological distress

Perhaps you are right All Hallows Eve being a Christian religious festival.
Most people I know just see it as a time to dress-up party and send the little kids out to pick up treats of questionable health benefits.

Tonight, I saw families being TOGETHER instead of going their separate ways, a lot of neighborhoods experiencing COMMUNITY instead of just coexisting and I saw churches doing what Jesus did and SERVING, instead of acting as an exclusive club meeting behind closed doors.
October 31 isn’t the devil’s day any more than November 1st. Everyday that we wake up and breathe another breath is a gift from God and one more opportunity to show His love. Closing the curtains, turning off the lights and hiding is EXACTLY what satan wants us to do. We are children of light so shine BRIGHT, especially on what is considered a “dark day”. Give out the BEST candy at your door, put on an AWESOME Trunk or Treat with your church, dress in the most AMAZING costume you can put together and share the most INCREDIBLE love of all, Jesus!
Happy Halloween!
P.S. I’m pretty sure that was my first time ever to say that : )
Let’s Stop Being Afraid of Halloween : A Christian Response to Halloween Celebration
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
All religion should be left out of all scenarios. If the teacher can not set aside their own beliefs they should in no way be teaching at a public school. The idiom of trying to bend other's to your own belief is hidden behind such "teachers" in which try to say "well, here's a poem I want you to memorize" (although it has no relevance to what I am here to teach you about) but memorize it or you fail.....?????? I would think that that teacher is in quite a lacking of their own beliefs or maybe some other quantifiable psychological distress


I understand...I have to say, poems are just words put together in a creative, aesthetic fashion.
They are harmless, because of their context.

The pupil's parent surely belongs to a cultural context where words have a certain relevance...so he meant to the teacher: ok, you can fail my son, but maybe pupils would be more motivated if they learnt poems about friendship, love etc

Imho:)
 

shmogie

Well-Known Member
Italy. An English teacher told her pupils to learn a poem by heart, a poem about Halloween.
A Parent who was helping his own child do his homework found the poem inappropriate and wrote to the teacher


Dear Teacher,
I write you about the poem "Halloween Dance". I ask you to justify my son for not learning the poem by heart, for I think that witches, skeletons, ghosts, death scenes, corpses and coffins which characterize this "festival" do not contribute positively to the moral education of our children. Even if I deeply respect your role and know how important the subject you teach is, I feel , as a Christian and as educator of my children , the duty to protect them from that.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and I am available for further explanation.



View attachment 33968

If it is against his view of his religion, he should have every right to withdraw his son from the poem/lesson.

What do u guys think?
 

JesusKnowsYou

Active Member
Italy. An English teacher told her pupils to learn a poem by heart, a poem about Halloween.
A Parent who was helping his own child do his homework found the poem inappropriate and wrote to the teacher


Dear Teacher,
I write you about the poem "Halloween Dance". I ask you to justify my son for not learning the poem by heart, for I think that witches, skeletons, ghosts, death scenes, corpses and coffins which characterize this "festival" do not contribute positively to the moral education of our children. Even if I deeply respect your role and know how important the subject you teach is, I feel , as a Christian and as educator of my children , the duty to protect them from that.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and I am available for further explanation.



View attachment 33968



What do u guys think?
I think it is weird that a teacher would require any student to memorize anything like that.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Italy. An English teacher told her pupils to learn a poem by heart, a poem about Halloween.
A Parent who was helping his own child do his homework found the poem inappropriate and wrote to the teacher


Dear Teacher,
I write you about the poem "Halloween Dance". I ask you to justify my son for not learning the poem by heart, for I think that witches, skeletons, ghosts, death scenes, corpses and coffins which characterize this "festival" do not contribute positively to the moral education of our children. Even if I deeply respect your role and know how important the subject you teach is, I feel , as a Christian and as educator of my children , the duty to protect them from that.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and I am available for further explanation.



View attachment 33968



What do u guys think?
As a Christian alternative, it would be a great Halloween blast to tour the Catholic Saints on a scary night.

Hallelujah!!

 

BilliardsBall

Veteran Member
Italy. An English teacher told her pupils to learn a poem by heart, a poem about Halloween.
A Parent who was helping his own child do his homework found the poem inappropriate and wrote to the teacher


Dear Teacher,
I write you about the poem "Halloween Dance". I ask you to justify my son for not learning the poem by heart, for I think that witches, skeletons, ghosts, death scenes, corpses and coffins which characterize this "festival" do not contribute positively to the moral education of our children. Even if I deeply respect your role and know how important the subject you teach is, I feel , as a Christian and as educator of my children , the duty to protect them from that.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and I am available for further explanation.



View attachment 33968



What do u guys think?

I think I'm grateful to live in a country with first amendment rights--despite the atheists who want to silence me.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
Italy. An English teacher told her pupils to learn a poem by heart, a poem about Halloween.
A Parent who was helping his own child do his homework found the poem inappropriate and wrote to the teacher


Dear Teacher,
I write you about the poem "Halloween Dance". I ask you to justify my son for not learning the poem by heart, for I think that witches, skeletons, ghosts, death scenes, corpses and coffins which characterize this "festival" do not contribute positively to the moral education of our children. Even if I deeply respect your role and know how important the subject you teach is, I feel , as a Christian and as educator of my children , the duty to protect them from that.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and I am available for further explanation.



View attachment 33968



What do u guys think?

It is a parent's right but...

I think the parent has a childish understanding of his faith. To be afraid of the impact of a children's treatment of the fear of death (which is IMO what Halloween is largely about) on the mind of a child is to mistake fantasy for literal belief...a failing common among Christians.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
Yes...I agree...
After all ..education here is surely secular and should promote Rationalism first....that is why a poem is totally harmless if teachers alltogether condemn things like occultism and esotericism

An interesting boundary line. I would accept a teachers warning about unprovability but I would want them to be careful of suppressing a child's indulgence in their imagination.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Italy. [...]
Dear Teacher,
I write you about the poem "Halloween Dance". I ask you to justify my son for not learning the poem by heart, for I think that witches, skeletons, ghosts, death scenes, corpses and coffins which characterize this "festival" do not contribute positively to the moral education of our children. Even if I deeply respect your role and know how important the subject you teach is, I feel , as a Christian and as educator of my children , the duty to protect them from that.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and I am available for further explanation.
What do u guys think?
The objection is to the emphasis on death and death-symbols.

My general reaction is that the parent is speaking civilly, making a point respectfully, and arguing that that while Halloween may appeal to others, the parent doesn't want the child to have to memorize a calendar of death symbols.

It's not something I'd get excited about, but I think the parent is entitled to that view.
,
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
Education as I was taught in the aspect of understanding logical matters. For instance a poem I was asked to remember was; Thirty days hath September April June and November all the rest have thirty one except February which has eight and one score and leap year gives it one day more. If you are asking a person to remember something that has no relevance to the logic in which is being taught. If the teacher was trying to induce memory exercises, IMO poems as such I was asked to adhere are way more relevant and substantial.

Yay and borrrinnggg!!!

My guess was the teacher was hoping to leverage the enthusiasm his/her students had for the holiday.
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
It's funny but my own grandson has a strong belief in Jesus and really loves Halloween. He is a big fan of Tim Burton's stuff and Ghostbusters and Harry Potter. He doesnt care to read too much but he will read Harry Potter...

Then there is C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, Christian's who dove deeply into dark fantasy...

I guess I just find it childish to react to stories as if the fear that they inspire is trying to teach immorality. As if they are afraid of fear itself. It seems like an early lesson in teaching a child willful ignorance.

I would think a Christian could find an opportunity to Christianize these things by describing how a child belief would protect them from harm.

My grandson was having scary imaginings at night and I told him what I did as a child to overcome that...imagine piloting an x-wing fighter and shooting down those scary images. He later told me it worked. Use imagination to fight fearful imaginings. Some people might call that problem solving.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
It is a parent's right but...

I think the parent has a childish understanding of his faith. To be afraid of the impact of a children's treatment of the fear of death (which is IMO what Halloween is largely about) on the mind of a child is to mistake fantasy for literal belief...a failing common among Christians.

Well...I think it has to do with Italy being a Catholic country...and Catholicism focuses on symbols and rituals significantly.
Which means that even the word magic is considered taboo... unchristian.

I've seen in Anglo-Saxon cultures they are more relaxed about it.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
I don't know if you guys have seen The Others, 2002...where the protagonist is a fervent Catholic who believes things like ghosts or occultism are unchristian.
:)
 

sealchan

Well-Known Member
Well...I think it has to do with Italy being a Catholic country...and Catholicism focuses on symbols and rituals significantly.
Which means that even the word magic is considered taboo... unchristian.

I've seen in Anglo-Saxon cultures they are more relaxed about it.

This no doubt due to being innoculated to offense by the more severe experience of the Viking raids on monastic institutions such as that which harbored the Book of Kells in Iona...Iona, the Vikings and the making of the Book of Kells

;)
 
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