Comments on: Are Pagan Holidays a Very Good Reason? http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:29:08 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: mrsriggins http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1488 mrsriggins Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:54:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1488 As a parent, if I take my child out of school, there should be no questions asked. I am her parent. I should not even have to tell the school where she is going, and what she is doing. She is my child and not under their authority to limit her actions or mine- religious or not. As a parent, if I take my child out of school, there should be no questions asked. I am her parent. I should not even have to tell the school where she is going, and what she is doing. She is my child and not under their authority to limit her actions or mine- religious or not.

]]> By: Thalia http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1472 Thalia Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:24:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1472 Melissa said:<br/><br/>>>But when I was in school, none of the Orthodox kids took off for Orthodox Easter or Christmas, or the Asians the Lunar New Year. And I think we all should follow their example.<<<br/><br/>I have to take issue with that. The majority faith, since it's the majority, already gets its holidays off. Does anyone go to school on Christmas? Granted, Easter is on a Sunday, but in the public schools in my state we always had Good Friday off. So there's a bias towards the majority religion built into things. Melissa said:

>>But when I was in school, none of the Orthodox kids took off for Orthodox Easter or Christmas, or the Asians the Lunar New Year. And I think we all should follow their example.< <

I have to take issue with that. The majority faith, since it’s the majority, already gets its holidays off. Does anyone go to school on Christmas? Granted, Easter is on a Sunday, but in the public schools in my state we always had Good Friday off. So there’s a bias towards the majority religion built into things.

]]> By: Yvonne http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1468 Yvonne Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:20:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1468 If this was a story about any other religion, I can't imagine it reading, "the parents say they are pagans" - surely if they say they are Pagans, then they are? Also note rude use of lower-case.<br/><br/>Anyway, I think the kid probably got a good educational experience from attending the solstice.<br/><br/>One slight note of concern - I thought we didn't believe in indoctrinating kids in Paganism? Phae says "if I want my kid spending a sabbat at home..." - erm, surely it's your child's choice whether they want to celebrate it with you? If this was a story about any other religion, I can’t imagine it reading, “the parents say they are pagans” – surely if they say they are Pagans, then they are? Also note rude use of lower-case.

Anyway, I think the kid probably got a good educational experience from attending the solstice.

One slight note of concern – I thought we didn’t believe in indoctrinating kids in Paganism? Phae says “if I want my kid spending a sabbat at home…” – erm, surely it’s your child’s choice whether they want to celebrate it with you?

]]> By: Phae http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1466 Phae Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:08:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1466 I think that someone is over estimating their power over other people's kids. If my parents wanted me out of school for however many days for whatever reason, then I wasn't at school those days. End of conversation.<br/><br/>I was the same way when I was guardian of my younger brother. I ended up in a meeting with his school counsellor over it. <br/><br/>I told her that as long as he wasn't failing anything, I didn't want to hear about how many classes he wasn't in. Not everyone needs to go to school every day to learn the material.<br/><br/>It is the parent/guardian's decision whether a kid is in school at all. If I want my kid spending a Sabbat at home, then home is where she will be.<br/><br/>--Phae I think that someone is over estimating their power over other people’s kids. If my parents wanted me out of school for however many days for whatever reason, then I wasn’t at school those days. End of conversation.

I was the same way when I was guardian of my younger brother. I ended up in a meeting with his school counsellor over it.

I told her that as long as he wasn’t failing anything, I didn’t want to hear about how many classes he wasn’t in. Not everyone needs to go to school every day to learn the material.

It is the parent/guardian’s decision whether a kid is in school at all. If I want my kid spending a Sabbat at home, then home is where she will be.

–Phae

]]> By: Elizabeth http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1465 Elizabeth Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:59:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1465 I am a teacher and I can be very certain when I say that at my school if the parent says its a good reason, then its a good reason as far as the administration are concerned. Unfortunately this leads to problems on the other end where children are missing 2 weeks of school for a cruise (I asked, there was no cultural content to be experienced by the child). It is so difficult to determine what is to be considered a good enough excuse for time missed and often it depends on the child, most of the kids that I see missing large amounts of time are not those whose grades can afford it. However, in matters of religion, I don't think it is the place of schools to decide which is legitimate and which is simply "not good enough". I am a teacher and I can be very certain when I say that at my school if the parent says its a good reason, then its a good reason as far as the administration are concerned. Unfortunately this leads to problems on the other end where children are missing 2 weeks of school for a cruise (I asked, there was no cultural content to be experienced by the child). It is so difficult to determine what is to be considered a good enough excuse for time missed and often it depends on the child, most of the kids that I see missing large amounts of time are not those whose grades can afford it. However, in matters of religion, I don’t think it is the place of schools to decide which is legitimate and which is simply “not good enough”.

]]> By: Hecate http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1464 Hecate Sun, 17 Feb 2008 22:19:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1464 What would be a "very good reason"? A family trip abroad? A death in the family? Was this child often absent or were these the only three days that she missed/ What would be a “very good reason”? A family trip abroad? A death in the family? Was this child often absent or were these the only three days that she missed/

]]> By: Melissa http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1463 Melissa Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:25:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1463 I don't think anyone should get any religious observances off, or at least with impunity. <br/><br/>There's my autocratic secularist peeking through. <br/><br/>I do realize that there's an anti-Pagan bias here.<br/><br/>But when I was in school, none of the Orthodox kids took off for Orthodox Easter or Christmas, or the Asians the Lunar New Year. And I think we all should follow their example. I don’t think anyone should get any religious observances off, or at least with impunity.

There’s my autocratic secularist peeking through.

I do realize that there’s an anti-Pagan bias here.

But when I was in school, none of the Orthodox kids took off for Orthodox Easter or Christmas, or the Asians the Lunar New Year. And I think we all should follow their example.

]]> By: Andruu http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1462 Andruu Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:13:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1462 There seems to be a strong anti-Pagan bias just below the surface in such stories. Too many people fail to appreciate the beauty and gentleness of Pagan beliefs and observances. Clearly, this world badly needs the emphasis on connection to and harmony with nature and its cycles that Paganism emphasizes.<br/><br/>Andy<br/>Unitarian Minister, London<br/><a HREF="http://www.new-unity.org" REL="nofollow">New-Unity Unitarians</a> There seems to be a strong anti-Pagan bias just below the surface in such stories. Too many people fail to appreciate the beauty and gentleness of Pagan beliefs and observances. Clearly, this world badly needs the emphasis on connection to and harmony with nature and its cycles that Paganism emphasizes.

Andy
Unitarian Minister, London
New-Unity Unitarians

]]> By: Andruu http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-very-good-reason.html/comment-page-1#comment-1461 Andruu Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:10:00 +0000 http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/02/are-pagan-holidays-a-very-good-reason.html#comment-1461 There seems to be a strong anti-Pagan bias just below the surface in such stories. Too many people fail to appreciate the beauty and gentleness of Pagan beliefs and observances. Clearly, this world badly needs the emphasis on connection to and harmony with nature and its cycles that Paganism emphasizes.<br/><br/>Andy<br/>Unitarian Minister, London<br/>http://www.new-unity.org There seems to be a strong anti-Pagan bias just below the surface in such stories. Too many people fail to appreciate the beauty and gentleness of Pagan beliefs and observances. Clearly, this world badly needs the emphasis on connection to and harmony with nature and its cycles that Paganism emphasizes.

Andy
Unitarian Minister, London
http://www.new-unity.org

]]>