No Costumes for Kindergarteners on Turkey Day?!?
source: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-thanksgiving25-2008nov25,0,1458033.story
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- alicynx
- added this
Okay, so I'm all about not pulling the wool over kid's eyes when it comes to bad holiday ideas like Columbus day, but this is just dumb. Having some kids dress in construction-paper representations of traditional Native American dress is NOT RACIST, folks. Its the best we can do with the crappy budgets schools are given.
In my opinion, we should be happy that Native American culture is even being celebrated in elementary schools - there are still a number of under (and not) represented minority groups that get absolutely no love in the education system at all. Try being Pagan.
Although I tell my kids the truth about how both sides decimated one another in the "New World", I also allow them to participate in an event that has evolved over time to include a moral about getting along, and glosses over the bad crap that BOTH sides had a hand in to get through a more important message - be thankful for what you've got. Paper feathers and headbands are about as racist as pilgrim hats and collars with those stupid buckles - neither truly represents either side's diversity, nor culture.
Come on, give the little kids a break.
In my opinion, we should be happy that Native American culture is even being celebrated in elementary schools - there are still a number of under (and not) represented minority groups that get absolutely no love in the education system at all. Try being Pagan.
Although I tell my kids the truth about how both sides decimated one another in the "New World", I also allow them to participate in an event that has evolved over time to include a moral about getting along, and glosses over the bad crap that BOTH sides had a hand in to get through a more important message - be thankful for what you've got. Paper feathers and headbands are about as racist as pilgrim hats and collars with those stupid buckles - neither truly represents either side's diversity, nor culture.
Come on, give the little kids a break.
