Halloween at Miller Academy (or lack of it)

[engiebenjy]

I've just been told by a friend that the new head at Miller has decided that Halloween is no going to be recognised in any way, shape or form, because it is a pagan holiday!
When I was at primary school, it was one of the highlights of the year! I have a daughter at Miller, and I know that she is going to be a bit miffed by this.
Any thoughts? Do we think that the head is right or wrong?

[Thumper]

I think the head is wrong,yes it is a pagan holiday but it has been celebrated for years but lots of children!More PC gone wrong IMO x

[engiebenjy]

I think the head is wrong,yes it is a pagan holiday but it has been celebrated for years but lots of children!More PC gone wrong IMO x

Well I'm glad i'm not the only one that thinks this. BTW, there has been no 'official' notification from the school, perchance hoped we'd all just not notice?

[brandy]

so not going to celebrate christmas or easter either are they?
they are both pagan holidays.. with a bit of christianity thrown in.. *rolls eyes*
arn't head teachers suppose to be educated?

[Ricco]

so not going to celebrate christmas or easter either are they?
they are both pagan holidays.. with a bit of christianity thrown in.. *rolls eyes*
arn't head teachers suppose to be educated?

Quite agree with you here. Christmas (or St Nick's) and Easter (celebration of Herne, Mother Earth, etc) are all originally pagan festivals highjacked by the church to cloud over what they originally were. (not to worry, Canuck - I haven't dropped my faith) I think it is taking it a bit far to ban a festival that has evolved into (mostly) a bit of fun, especially for the kids. When was the last time you celebrated the 'pagan' bit? I expect Johno will come back on that question. ;)

And, the following day is All Hallows Day - surely he could make something of this following Halloween, if he is educated?

[mums angels]

Miller has sent out a news letter confirming that they are not to be holding any halloween events next week no mention to it being a pagan holiday ..newsletter states that they will be taking part in Children in need

the head used to teach in aberdeen and as far as i'm aware most schools down ther do not celebrate it

as a parent though i'm a little dissapointed that the children cant dress up in the afternoon as they have done in years before , i'm not a fan of halloween and do find it a yet another way of making parents spend money but i do it for the kids :D

[Cattach]

I was told by someone from within the school that the reason was that it was a Pagan festival but that the decision would be 'dressed up' in different way - too many events to follow up. Surely it does not create that big a hole in the learing time.

Anyway surely in the age of equalitty when other religions, some whaich we might consider 'Pagan' is taughtb in schools this is an abusive of an religious/moral position. And, of course, Christmas, especially the Christmas Tree, is a very Pagan event with Christian elements tagged on.

Will Santa be banned in Miller since he comes into a somewhat mythical category and bearing only a slight reseamblance to St Nicholas?

'Kill Joy' comes to mind!!

[brandy]

my advice is for teh parent council to get together and protest it.
I would.
my children are bouncing at the thought of halloween.. and its a holiday they have for such a short time in thier lives.
unlike the other holidays.. the kids "grow out" of halloween at a realtive young age.. so let them enjoy it while they are still young enough to.

[flyfifer]

I support the head of Miller Academy - i believe Halloween to be a pagan celebration, yes some may say that Christmas is too, but Halloween is a time when witchcraft/the occult is particularly celebrated and promoted and I cannot condone it. It all seems fun for children, with dressing up, spooky games etc, but behind it is real evil. We all have free choice, though, and I pray no harm comes to anyone through this celebration. If people wish to hold a Halloween party, do it in a hall or at home, but not in the schools. I am sure the Head is not a killjoy, but has the children's best interests at heart.

[Thumper]

I support the head of Miller Academy - i believe Halloween to be a pagan celebration, yes some may say that Christmas is too, but Halloween is a time when witchcraft/the occult is particularly celebrated and promoted and I cannot condone it. It all seems fun for children, with dressing up, spooky games etc, but behind it is real evil. We all have free choice, though, and I pray no harm comes to anyone through this celebration. If people wish to hold a Halloween party, do it in a hall or at home, but not in the schools. I am sure the Head is not a killjoy, but has the children's best interests at heart.
Actually dressing up at halloween wasn't really to do with evil,well not in the way it seems to be thought of,people used to dress up on all hallows eve to confuse any bad spirits that may have been wandering around so that they did not know who or what was good or bad x

[Cattach]

I support the head of Miller Academy - i believe Halloween to be a pagan celebration, yes some may say that Christmas is too, but Halloween is a time when witchcraft/the occult is particularly celebrated and promoted and I cannot condone it. It all seems fun for children, with dressing up, spooky games etc, but behind it is real evil. We all have free choice, though, and I pray no harm comes to anyone through this celebration. If people wish to hold a Halloween party, do it in a hall or at home, but not in the schools. I am sure the Head is not a killjoy, but has the children's best interests at heart.

As far as the children are concerned the Head is a kill joy. This argument over paganism is just a red herring. If we are remove all activities associated with so called paganism or the pre-christian period we would have a lot of changes in our society. Like many other activities Halllowe'en gives children and opportunity to express themselves, be part of a creative situation with the art work involved and enjoy social activities which benefit them in their interaction with others in years to come. It is also a knoweledge base we cannot even dismiss even if disagree with it.

You cannot just accept Christmas and especially some of the aspects such as the tree and then condemn Hallowe'en - you are simply choosing one because it suits you and I guess because you do not want to miss out on your own Christmas (Pagan) activities!!

[cuddlepop]

What a shame,kids love hallowene.
If the parents dont protest I can see Christmas being next :eek:
With that in mind I think a primary school band the giving out of christmas cards during the school day.
Something about making the ones feel left out who didn't get one was mentioned.:(

[wifie]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Hate all this rubbish! Kids, infact no-one, is allowed to have fun anymore.

[plasticjock]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Hate all this rubbish! Kids, infact no-one, is allowed to have fun anymore.

You're right.....
I used to go guisin' in the late 50's and early 60's around the Mount Pleasant estate with my best chum. 5 minutes after getting in, Hallowe'en was forgotten for another year. We were too busy sorting out the nuts, sweets and coppers from our bags.

Paganism? Apart from an unabated dislike of the Spice Girls and an occasional inclination to look at a full Moon, I can't really say that Hallowe'en has affected me.

The Thought Police will be looking at banning Burns' 'Tam O'Shanter' from school libraries next, in case it leads to an unnatural interest in devil-worship and old womens nightdresses.

Quote:
Scene. Hancock engrossed in the detective novel 'LADY DON'T FALL BACKWARDS' borrowed from the library.
SID: Good, is it?
HANCOCK: Good?! This is red hot, this is, mate! Hate to think of a book like this getting in the wrong hands. Soon as I've finished this I shall recommend they ban it!
Endquote

[Ricco]

Has he banned Valentine's Day as well? That isn't a Christian festival and one say that it is pagan - lurve an' all that. ;)

[engiebenjy]

I support the head of Miller Academy - i believe Halloween to be a pagan celebration, yes some may say that Christmas is too, but Halloween is a time when witchcraft/the occult is particularly celebrated and promoted and I cannot condone it. It all seems fun for children, with dressing up, spooky games etc, but behind it is real evil. We all have free choice, though, and I pray no harm comes to anyone through this celebration. If people wish to hold a Halloween party, do it in a hall or at home, but not in the schools. I am sure the Head is not a killjoy, but has the children's best interests at heart.


Are you one of these people who think Harry Potter should be banned?

[bagpuss2]

I disagree with this decision,my kids go to the school and WILL be dressing up in their costumes for school on wednesday as will many of their friends....its their choice!!There is also petitions going round too as the kids are very dissapointed as they have always dressed up at halloween at the school.So basically we are trying to get the kids to carry on as normal and dress up for school on wednesday,it doesnt actually state in the newsletter that they are NOT allowed to dress up.

[Mister Squiggle]

Halloween is a great time of year in school - lots of fun and imaginative ways to tie in the idea of longer nights, the cycle of growth and harvest, welcoming the winter, dressing up to ward off the cold, visiting houses etc.
When we were in Inverness over the holidays, there was a picture in the newly-refurbished museum of a bonfire, taken by a local photographer, with notes about Samhain, the Celtic new year festival. It marked the end of the summer season and welcomed winter. I thought when I saw it, what a great thing for kids to be part of. They can see the seasons are changing and to give them some sense of celebration and enjoyment, as well as some sort of context, can only be a good thing, surely?
I know my own really love the whole idea of being out after dark, carrying torches, knocking on doors, going into friends' houses when normally it would be bedtime. I bought these wee fibre-optic torches from the shops, in the shape of a bat and a spider and they've been waving them around outside like mad. All good fun and good memories for the future.

[botheed]

I've just been told by a friend that the new head at Miller has decided that Halloween is no going to be recognised in any way, shape or form, because it is a pagan holiday!
When I was at primary school, it was one of the highlights of the year! I have a daughter at Miller, and I know that she is going to be a bit miffed by this.
Any thoughts? Do we think that the head is right or wrong?is christmas not a pagan holiday too?

[bobsgirl]

The newsletter has not said anything about the kids not being allowed to dress up........I am tempted to put my kids in fancy dress.
I do not understand why they are not celebrating it. Would it not be easier for the teachers doing some Halloween activities/crafts during the kids Art time??
I love the pictures that my daughter is bringing home (about 5 or 6 a day), but I think it would be better if they had a theme.
I think it is all a good time to get the child's perception of what they think the event is all about.

I wonder what all the teachers think about this as last year I am sure a good few of them dressed up for halloween themselves!!

[mums angels]

My sons class were making witches in miller this week so maybe its also down to the teacher as to weather its a complete ban on halloween activities ..halloween art was always a big part in our art projects when i was there it would be a shame to stop the children doing witches , pumpkins etc.

I for one havn't heard of any petition going around but if there is one i would be quite happy to sign it ..don't think i'll send the kids dressed up unless the majority of the school children are and even then it was always in the afternoon they got dressed up for there halloween class parties as far as i remember .. the older ones didn't get to dress up last year either .


i know that pennyland doesn't have the children dress up at school but do put on a school halloween disco ..what about mountpleasant do they get to dress up etc?

[Cattach]

I hear that one part of the school, at least, has been told no witches and devil costumes!!!

That being the case, let us assume the Head Teacher is correct - I then have to assume, in the interest of considency, that all Harry Potter books are for the bonfire and are banned from the school!

Oh, dear we are getting into a logical mess here. I think the Head Teacher should have thought before firing from the hip.

[young]

are the kids allowed to dress up then as it doesnt state anywere on the newsletter that they are not???it just says there will be no whole school halloween events so maybe each teacher has the choice on what to do??