Polar Express Day

[MrsK]

Do you think it would be totally subversive if I sent star of david/dredel shaped cookies to school for Polar Express Day?

Here's the background -- The teacher sent an email to all the parents asking if we had any objection to having a pj day and showing of the Polar Express (Christmas movie) and if we objected to her planned unit on "traditions around the world" which basically amounted to several classes about Christmas and one class about other religious traditions in our own country. I thought it over, discussed it with my husband and with the other Jewish mom in the class, and, knowing that there is also a pagan mom and Jehovah's Witness mom in the class, sent a well-thought out letter. We expressed a preference for a secular movie and objected to the religious traditions curriculum. Basically, it's a public school. They're kindergartners. No need to teach religious traditions in public school. I also explained that my precocious kindergartner is already asking a lot of very advanced questions at home about various religious beliefs and what it means to be a Jew. We would rather not open a can of worms at school.

The teacher met with the principal and the response was basically, "the majority, who are Christian, do not object to the unit so we are going forward" (duh, that's why she asked for the minority opinion). Now, I'm baking cookies for the pj movie day because I'm the only class mom who does that stuff. Sure, I could have told her to bake her own cookies but I'm not like that. So....I don't have any santa cookie cutters and surely "the majority" would probably do it that way. Is it okay if I use my Hannukah cookie cutters in an attempt to balance the scales even a little bit? Or would that make things messy for my kid?

[rufflesanddots]

I am SO annoyed by their response! WTF! My initial reaction is to send in hannukah cookies, but not sure it would be a sound political move in the long run. Man I am ticket on your behalf. Why can't the Christian kids get the majority of their religious instruction at home too? Grrr. I feel like religious tradition can be explored a bit later (I definitely remember having a few units on that in middle school); why now?

[corn poffi]

Hmmm this is a tricky one. Growing up, I was the half-Jewish kid who was a novelty since that was the most diversity the town had.

Anyway, I proudly made it known that we celebrated Hanukkah when I was in kindergaten, and that's why I didn't understand what all the Christmas songs they made us sing were about. Doing that made methe spokesperson for all things Jewish until I graduated from high school. I got asked the weirdest questions by teachers including being asked to bring home a book that had some Hebrew writing to ask my dad what it said. It was a bit embarrassing to come back to school the next day to tell them that he doesn't read Hebrew.

I think the fact that there are other Jewish students in the class makes it a bit easier. I'd totally make those cookies! If anything it's a chance for the teachers to use it as a learning opportunity to discuss other winter traditions (not focusing on religion, just winter traditions). Even something like, not everybody celebrates Christmas, some celebrate Hanukkah, etc. and leave it at that.

I always hated the holidays as a kid. It was really confusing!

[rufflesanddots]

Hmmm this is a tricky one. Growing up, I was the half-Jewish kid who was a novelty since that was the most diversity the town had.

Anyway, I proudly made it known that we celebrated Hanukkah when I was in kindergaten, and that's why I didn't understand what all the Christmas songs they made us sing were about. Doing that made methe spokesperson for all things Jewish until I graduated from high school. I got asked the weirdest questions by teachers including being asked to bring home a book that had some Hebrew writing to ask my dad what it said. It was a bit embarrassing to come back to school the next day to tell them that he doesn't read Hebrew.

I think the fact that there are other Jewish students in the class makes it a bit easier. I'd totally make those cookies! If anything it's a chance for the teachers to use it as a learning opportunity to discuss other winter traditions (not focusing on religion, just winter traditions). Even something like, not everybody celebrates Christmas, some celebrate Hanukkah, etc. and leave it at that.

I always hated the holidays as a kid. It was really confusing!

I was recently asked by a coworker to teach her about Judaism so she could write a paper for a religious studies course. It was terrible.

[MrsK]

I was recently asked by a coworker to teach her about Judaism so she could write a paper for a religious studies course. It was terrible.

It usually is. No fun being the Jew in a Box. Why set him up for that in kindergarten. But the teacher is forcing the issue by proceeding with the lesson.

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[MrsK]

Don't get me started on my frustration with the school's response. I got into the most ridiculous hair-splitting debate with the teacher about the difference between religion vs cultural tradition vs religious traditions. She insists she's not teaching religion if she doesn't mention Gd. I maintain that "traditions around the world" are things like the changing of the guard, running with the bulls, bastille day, tea ceremonies. ... sure, telling the kindergarteners that some kids light menorahs and some kids wait for Santa sounds innocuous until my kid comes home saying he wants to raise his kids Christian because waiting for Santa sounds like fun. (This happened.)

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[OrionGrad]

I'd totally send the cookies.
DS1's preschool asked each parent what holidays we celebrate, and they're spending one day on each this month. Yesterday was Muslim holidays, today was Diwali, next week we've got Hannukah and Christmas (and a couple others). I love that they're including everyone (and DS loves getting so many celebrations in one month &#128521.

[Deebs]

My daughter's kindergarten class has an Elf on the Shelf. According to the school, I'm the only parent who found this inappropriate (though I know a Jewish mom with a girl in the same class complained). For the record, were Catholic, but my longest friend is Jewish and part of why I send my kids to public school is so they have diversity in their classmates. We also have an angel tree and there's a Christmas tree in the office. When my friend asked if she. Oils donate a Menorah, she was told they can't have anything religious. Ummm...
So, I think you should totally do Hanukah cookies.

[corn poffi]

I'd totally send the cookies.
DS1's preschool asked each parent what holidays we celebrate, and they're spending one day on each this month. Yesterday was Muslim holidays, today was Diwali, next week we've got Hannukah and Christmas (and a couple others). I love that they're including everyone (and DS loves getting so many celebrations in one month &#128521.

That's awesome!!

[MrsK]

My daughter's kindergarten class has an Elf on the Shelf. According to the school, I'm the only parent who found this inappropriate (though I know a Jewish mom with a girl in the same class complained). For the record, were Catholic, but my longest friend is Jewish and part of why I send my kids to public school is so they have diversity in their classmates. We also have an angel tree and there's a Christmas tree in the office. When my friend asked if she. Oils donate a Menorah, she was told they can't have anything religious. Ummm...
So, I think you should totally do Hanukah cookies.

See, some people argue that Christmas trees, Santa, the Elf on the Shelf "have nothing to do with Christmas" because it's not something like a crucifix or nativity scene. But, well, they have nothing to do with Labor Day either. However, they are definitely more strongly associated with Christmas than they are with Labor Day, amIright? By that reasoning, frying latkes and playing dredel have "nothing to do with" Hannukah because they are ancillary but they are still part of the celebration/religious tradition and teaching our children about our religious holiday. It's naive to believe that you can talk to a class about Christmas traditions without having *someone* ask *why* those traditions are observed. My kid certainly would. And, frankly, treating Hannukah like it's the same big deal as Christmas is patronizing too. It's not the same. It's a minor holiday and really not worthy of the hoopla. If you want to have a meaningful discussion about Judaism and religious traditions, the discussion would be about the high holy days, Shabbat, or maybe even Passover -- all of which are more significant than Hannukah.

[Thirteen]

Do the cookies.


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[ides]

Not to cause waves, but I didn't think there was anything religious in the Polar Express movie.

[gem]

Not to cause waves, but I didn't think there was anything religious in the Polar Express movie.

Yes-- so the only Christmas tradition depicted in the movie is Santa. Is the teacher planning to lecture elementary school kids on how Santa is one tradition observed in this country? Don't see that going over well. We are Christian, minimally do Santa, and I certainly wouldn't want my kids to be "taught" about Santa in public school. That's so family-specific. I actually hope it's not a lesson plan and more just a way to get kids to sit still for a couple hours.

[ladymoreta]

I think you should do the cookies. She may interpret it as passive aggressive, but that's her problem. (And no fault to you if you feel a little passive aggressive about it. I would!)

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I was going to chime in that as a Christian, I don't like a movie about Santa being the focal point about Christmas. So even if she was looking to focus on Christmas (which I completely agree is inappropriate in a public school), she's doing it wrong.