Where is all this hypersensitivity going to end? Anything said by anyone can offend someone.

School says Halloween disrespectful to witches.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/...701&page=1

PUYALLUP, Wash., Oct. 21, 2004 -- A Washington state school district is canceling its annual Halloween celebration, and the explanation has some parents baffled.

"Let them have their 30 minutes of dressing goofy and having candy," Silas Macon, a father of two school-age girls, said Wednesday outside Maplewood Elementary School after learning that the grade-school tradition of a party and parade in costume during the last half-hour of class before Halloween night won't happen this year in the district.

A letter sent home to parents Wednesday said there will be no observance of Halloween in any of the district's schools.

"We really want to make sure we're using all of our time in the best interest of our students," Puyallup School District spokeswoman Karen Hansen said.
The superintendent made the decision for three primary reasons, Hansen said. First, Halloween parties and parades waste valuable classroom time. Second, some families can't afford costumes and the celebrations thus can create embarrassment for children.

Both of those reasons seemed sensible to the parents who spoke to ABC News affiliate KOMO-TV in Seattle. But the district's third reason left some Puyallup parents shaking their heads.

The district said Halloween celebrations and children dressed in Halloween costumes might be offensive to real witches.

"Witches with pointy noses and things like that are not respective symbols of the Wiccan religion and so we want to be respectful of that," Hansen said.
The Wiccan, or Pagan, religion is said to be growing in the United States and there are Wiccan groups in Puyallup.

On the district's list of guidelines related to holidays and celebrations is an item that reads: "Use of derogatory stereotypes is prohibited, such as the traditional image of a witch, which is offensive to members of the Wiccan religion."

"I do lots of things that are not revolving around wearing a black outfit and stirring a cauldron," Wiccan priestess Cheryl Sulyma-Masson said in an interview with ABC News in which she explained that Wiccans, or Pagan Clergy, celebrate nature.

Hmmm ... the "ugly witch" costumes can be insulting

and how it seems to be ALL about candy ...blah blah

witches may be respected more and not offended IF the public would educate kids about the REAL traditions and deep meanings of "halloween"

not just the mass $ markets schemes and misconceptions...

Fortunately I have a real good sense of humor, or else I probably WOULD be offended.

Mach said:

Very true, it's almost becoming like christmas in a way, in that commercialism is canceling out the real meaning of the holiday.


Altho, technicaly, the real meaning of christmas (Yule) was canceled out LONG before, but we won't get into that here

Nikster said:

Next you guys are gonna tell me Thanxgiving is about more than just gorging yourself obese on turkey carcass.

subhuman09 said:

Mach said:

exactly...the real traditions and meanings of Samhain (i.e. Halloween) do indeed seem to be forgotten

From celticspirit.org...

Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Whereas Beltane welcomes in the summer with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of this festival is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween

ok...as much as I hate to say this.....when will politically correctness die....and I know I should be shot for even thinking this....but damn...witches...

Rhondab said:

i wont claim to understand the meaning of your words ...

but is it anything like


"but damn ... jews"

"but damn ... christians"

"but damn ... so and so ?

PLEASE...i am JUST trying to understand your post NOT piss anyone off or insult

Mach said:

jews...christians? huh...no....


i'm saying we are taking somethings too far....

Rhondab said:

Oohhh

okay

thanx

First off, there are other religions besides Wicca where folks refer to themselves as "witches", so its not a term specific to wicca.

Second, the image of the witch is just ONE thing that is a trapping of Halloween. Sounds like these jackasses have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Instead of simply banning any decorations that depict withces, they just decided to ban the whole friggin' thing! To me, this is like banning Thanksgiving because pictures of turkeys in Thanksgiving decorations might offend vegetarians.

Regardless of your beliefs about Halloween, the average child views it as a chance to dress up in a costume and get candy. Sounds like fun, huh? Heaven forbid people should have fun. Political correctness has gone too far.

JediMaster said:

Is that the one where they make baskets?

mdiver said:

yes, indeedy! Its an entire religion dedicated to weaving baskets!!

JediMaster said:

Now that is a useful religion

mdiver said:

Yes. As I hear tell, they have a ceremony around this time of year where they make weave baskets in honor of the goddess of potpourri!!!

Who fickin' cares if it offends a witch!

Halloween is for kids. They look forward to the candy!




.
[Edited 10/22/04 9:37am]

JediMaster said:

Quality when do they celebrate the festival of conservatory furniture

I believe its shortly after the Feast Of Crochet.

JediMaster said:

Ohhh... I've always wanted someone to weave me a Wicca table & chairs.

someone stole my book of shadows

TheRealFiness said:

That AND Yellow?


But you still got your broomstick right? :p

I for one am banning Christmas because it exploits the overweight and elderly.

Teacher said:

har dee har harrrrr