Easter celebrations cancelled at Primary school

The head has put out another letter to explain things which I think is backtracking.

It sounds as if the school governors have had a chat with her. The fact remains it was a rather foolish thing to do. Instead of sending a letter saying what they were not doing it would have been better to send a letter to say what they were doing.

Let's hope it all settles down now,.

The head has put out another letter to explain things which I think is backtracking.
The Easter service will still be held in school due to not being able to get enough staff to walk 400 children to the church
Children will still take part in making craft items celebrating Easter. Not word for word but just a summary of what I've read.
Comments online are still angry saying every other year they had no problems walking the children to the church.
Also the original letter said they would be looking at ways to celebrate Easter for next year .....
Terrible situation there with the head, staff and parents being abused and getting death threats, children afraid to go to school.
This head made a huge mistake doing this as many people support Christian beliefs or at least pretend to.
And due to the refugee boats controversy celebrating a refugee week in the same letter has added fuel to the flames.
This has stirred up racial tension to a new level imo

group called Disciples of Christ

Jesus chose his disciples, they can't just appoint themselves.
I doubt he'd be keen on appointing any of them if they intimidate young children.
It's one of those extremist USA churches, isn't it?

There will be an Easter assembly, as there are others celebrating various events, the local church previously used cannot now accommodate the number of attendees expected.
There will be crafts associated with Easter, the heading of this thread is wrong, Easter has not been cancelled.
The media has a lot to answer for, a group called Disciples of Christ are planning a protest, the police are involved.
I feel sorry for the staff and the young children

theworriedwell

A church service is a different matter but people seem very focused on the bonnets.
Unless it's a C of E, Catholic or Anglican church then a church service is a different matter but I think posters are focused on the bonnets because Miss Mander stopped both the service and the bonnet parade.

The bonnet parade is just a bit of fun which young children enjoy and helps them with their creativity. It seems quite mean-spirited to ban that even if she wants her school to be completely secular.
I presume the Easter holidays have been re-named as the Spring holidays too?

Personally, I think learning about all religions and why we celebrate certain events with festivals is part of education. Learning about each other is important and teaches understanding and respect instead of fear.

I believe that unless it’s a religious school such as a Catholic school that no religion should be adhered to, religion causes more problems than it’s worth.

I’m in total agreement with you, unless it’s a religious school and then that faith should be celebrated however they feel fit. Most Catholic schools get very good ofsted reports. I am not religious by the way.

theworriedwell, my Gdcs’ primary school is C of E, but it’s a very cosmopolitan area so there are quite a few children of other faiths (or none!). At each Nativity play we’ve attended, there have been quite a few evidently Muslim parents in the invariably packed audience.

Witzend

Presumably the significance of Easter bonnets, is that women used to like to have a new bonnet, or to trim an old one, for Easter, which was such a major festival when most people still went to church.

As for other faiths taking offence, we lived for 13 years in Middle Eastern, Muslim countries, where I was never at all aware of any offence. On the contrary, other faiths were respected, and the former Sultan Qaboos of Oman donated land for the construction of 3 churches - Catholic, Protestant, and Greek Orthodox.

I was teaching English to young (mostly male) adults at the time, and more than once one of them asked me whether I went to church. I would invariably fib and say that I did, otherwise they’d worry that I’d be destined for hell!

My family are Irish, half Presbyterian from the North, half Catholic from the South. I was brought up Catholic. My Presbyterian granny thought if you hadn't got "Sunday best" you shouldn't go to church. My Catholic granny thought not having "Sunday best" was no excuse for missing Mass. I think she'd have said you might want an Easter bonnet but it is nothing to do with actually practicing your religion.

I wonder how many of the people who have abused the Head actually are practising Christians.

Do we actually know if this has anything to do with people taking offence? My children didn't have Easter bonnet parade at school but I do remember the Muslim children joining in with the Nativity play at Christmas with no one having an issue with it. I can't remember if we had any other religions in the school but if we did it didn't seem to be an issue for them either.

I think that the issue is very fluid in schools and this current example is just that - an example. We don't know the specific discussions that led to this decision or the pressures at work locally.

Its tempting with these conflicts to go with "Schools should be totally secular" unless you choose to go to a religious school,

but I agree with GN's who say its good to have an idea of the different religions our society is made up of as well as the concept of there being a god(s) which isn't forced on anyone but is part of our lives be it worship or be it cultural.

It seems to me that the trouble lies with the difference between celebrating the different events in the religions and holding actual worship from a religion in a school.

We dont actually know how many primary schools still hold actual christian worship ceremonies.

I can say with certainly that my grandchildren primary school does not hold actual worship ceremonies and I doubt it's the only one.

Instead, they celebrate the festivals from different religions and obviously some idea of what they are for as suitable for primary schools.

At Eastleigh all we actually know was that the bonnets and an actual Easter service was cancelled but the head said in the letter that children would continue to be in a situation where diversity was celebrated.

In fact, she is adopting the situation that many schools like my GC are in have, which is not to have actual worship. As soon as you have worship situations you have those who would not attend whereas a celebration is for all.

So all the shock/horror/racist comments on this one decision really reflect on a situation at large

- ie some schools still presumably holding Christian worship ceremonies alongside celebrations from other cultures but not their religious ceremonies.

This is what could maybe be discussed in society at large than a pile in on Eastleigh school?

She’s probably already handed in her resignation, having decided the jobs not worth the hassle.
Leaving yet another school without a Head.

( You just can’t get anyone to apply nowadays- I wonder why)

Well, so far she has been a disaster; clearly unsuitable for the job.

Presumably the significance of Easter bonnets, is that women used to like to have a new bonnet, or to trim an old one, for Easter, which was such a major festival when most people still went to church.

As for other faiths taking offence, we lived for 13 years in Middle Eastern, Muslim countries, where I was never at all aware of any offence. On the contrary, other faiths were respected, and the former Sultan Qaboos of Oman donated land for the construction of 3 churches - Catholic, Protestant, and Greek Orthodox.

I was teaching English to young (mostly male) adults at the time, and more than once one of them asked me whether I went to church. I would invariably fib and say that I did, otherwise they’d worry that I’d be destined for hell!

Sheian57

Easter is the most important date in the Christian calendar. All children in this country, being educated in our schools, irrespective of whether its a church school, should be educated as to what it is about. I am sure Ramadan, Eidd, Passover, Hannakah, Diwalli etc are all taught. Will they be off school on Good Friday and Easter holidays? Why? Surely this woke nonsense has gone too far. Our culture and foundations are being lost. I hope the feast is celebrated and taught and the head and governors reflect. Christianity is the most inclusive of all religions demonstrating love, forgiveness and compassion. The head is being exclusive anti-Christian IMO

Good post, I agree.

eazybee

The Head needs to reinstate the Easter Bonnet competition and the Easter service and apologise to the parents, which will hopefully defuse an unpleasant situation and a poor start to her Headship.
And practise diversity and inclusion without lecturing the parents about it as a reason for doing something unpopular.

She’s probably already handed in her resignation, having decided the jobs not worth the hassle.
Leaving yet another school without a Head.

( You just can’t get anyone to apply nowadays- I wonder why)

sazz1

Sad this thread like many others has turned into an argument, with people feeling upset.
I'm sad that the children won't be having Easter bonnets as I think the youngest ones would have liked that.
The head needs to realise that cancelling Christian celebrations will not promote inclusion - quite the opposite as can be seen on FB with many very racist comments sadly.
My granddaughter's school teaches a basic understanding of all faiths which is the way forward I think. Post boxes for Christmas cards, lights for divali, Easter traditions and making Easter cards for parents, etc. This is inclusion imo

A bonnet parade is nothing to do with Christianity. Have a spring bonnet parade or accept that in this instance Easter is being used as a secular name

Telling people that some how bonnets are some great religious event is insulting.

A church service is a different matter but people seem very focused on the bonnets. There is a whole other debate about how appropriate it is to make children attend a religious ceremony in what is not their religion. Children can be taught about religions without having to take part.

The Head needs to reinstate the Easter Bonnet competition and the Easter service and apologise to the parents, which will hopefully defuse an unpleasant situation and a poor start to her Headship.
And practise diversity and inclusion without lecturing the parents about it as a reason for doing something unpopular.

Sad this thread like many others has turned into an argument, with people feeling upset.
I'm sad that the children won't be having Easter bonnets as I think the youngest ones would have liked that.
The head needs to realise that cancelling Christian celebrations will not promote inclusion - quite the opposite as can be seen on FB with many very racist comments sadly.
My granddaughter's school teaches a basic understanding of all faiths which is the way forward I think. Post boxes for Christmas cards, lights for divali, Easter traditions and making Easter cards for parents, etc. This is inclusion imo

Most, the great majority in fact , are not nasty nannas Rula . Please don’t leave . There are many very lovely and supportive people on this forum.

Rula

Yes Allira. I know.

Thanks very much to all who have twisted my comment which, I agree, was clunky.

I'll be leaving now

Thanks a lot for picking on me. I do apologise for anything I've said that's caused upset.

As you were.

Rula, Your original post was informative and interesting. It’s a shame it’s been derailed by the faux pas which you acknowledged was a mistake. Don’t feel you have to leave.

I think schools should be entirely secular.

pigsmayfly.

I think the idea is that all primary school children should have an understanding of all religions to allow them to grow up with tolerance for the belief of others. You don’t need an Easter service to do that but I would expect the principles of Easter to be taught in school. An Easter bonnet parade is an English tradition and great fun so why not? A bit like Maypole dancing? That’s fun too. English traditions. No real need to make huge religious connections.

Not just English 😁

I think the idea is that all primary school children should have an understanding of all religions to allow them to grow up with tolerance for the belief of others. You don’t need an Easter service to do that but I would expect the principles of Easter to be taught in school. An Easter bonnet parade is an English tradition and great fun so why not? A bit like Maypole dancing? That’s fun too. English traditions. No real need to make huge religious connections.

Its laughable for the section of the population who have absolutely no idea what is important to many people. That section likes to mock and sneer.

😀
Yes, it's stereotyping.

I’m still rather stunned by the suggestion there are no ‘white Muslims’ or that Christians are white.
It isn’t like that where I live