School Cancels Valentines Day!!??

[Country Kids]

A local school has decided to cancel Valentines Day. The principal sent out a letter to parents/students asking no Valentines/candy/small token gifts not be sent into school.

The principal feels their school practices love and friendship on a daily basis so they don't need a special day for it.

I think its fine and great they practice it on a daily basis but why not celebrate that then big time on Valentines day? Funny they didn't cancel Halloween/Harvest or Christmas/Winter party but the you could use as a very teachable moment on Friendship/love is out the window.

Also, I think how all these schools are starting cancel parties/change names/not letting certain grades participate is just making these kids grow up faster. Let them be children the one time they get to and leave the grown up stuff to the grown ups!

[countrymom]

yup its happening here too. They didn't cancel it but they said one year to bring no candy because kids don't need it and to bring in a non eatable thing to hand out, which is really expensive. I don't know why all this is going on, its pathetic. Last night i went out and bought candy for my kids to hand out.

one year the last principal decided to cancel halloween because she said the 5 students that don't celebrate halloween would feel like outcast, so the kids all signed a petition, including parents and teachers so she had no choice but to let them continue with halloween. and those kids still got candy and were happy to get it.

[DaycareMomma]

That is ridiculous if you ask me. Why shouldn't these kids be allowed to have fun with Valentines Day. I think it is actually one of the funnest holidays to celebrate for the kids in school!

[Country Kids]

Oh, the students/parents did a petition collected like 100 signatures or something but it was still a no go.

[itlw8]

when our boys were small we had a halloween party at school it started at 6. The goal was to get the kids off the street. It worked wonders fun and trick or treating was over by 6:30

They now have a harvest festival and not on halloween. and instead of giving tons of tickets to the kids they now have to buy them so it is really a fundraiser.

They no longer do a school halloween party either because a few families had problems. That is fine the whole school goes rollerskating and it is free. The kids love it.

There was no Christmas party but they did watch a movie and have treats. Time have changed for the grandkids.

[butterfly]

I see your point.

Frankly, I think it's wonderful that the school has 'cancelled' the holiday. In our schools, they 'celebrate' valentine's day, but no one is taught the reason for the day or even using that day to teach loving others, etc. It's pretty much just a day to get and eat candy at school. I can see from a teachers' and principle's standpoint how it would be easier to do without this holiday.

Our schools are going away from Halloween as well. They don't dress up at school, except for some of the teacher's pick a theme and everyone is to dress accordingly. i.e. a scarecrow, mad scientist, etc.

Even as daycare providers, we typically don't like our dck's all hyped up on sugar and putting up with the sticky mess. I certainly wouldn't want to multiply that effect by a 100 or so kids....

If you want your kids to learn about valentine's day, it's our job as their parents to teach them.

[CedarCreek]

All of this makes me so sad. I remember being little and having holiday parties at school and thinking they were the best! We spent most of our time at school, not having any festivities takes the magic out of the holiday. poor kiddos today just don't know how great it used to be.

[mamac]

yup its happening here too. They didn't cancel it but they said one year to bring no candy because kids don't need it and to bring in a non eatable thing to hand out, which is really expensive. I don't know why all this is going on, its pathetic. Last night i went out and bought candy for my kids to hand out.

one year the last principal decided to cancel halloween because she said the 5 students that don't celebrate halloween would feel like outcast, so the kids all signed a petition, including parents and teachers so she had no choice but to let them continue with halloween. and those kids still got candy and were happy to get it.

My son's school did the same thing for Valentine's Day regarding the no candy rule. They are also only allowed to send valentines to their own homeroom class. He is in private school and the classrooms are open classrooms. Every other holiday or special occasion has been celebrated with both kindergarten classes combined. For some reason they singled out this holiday to separate the classes. My son is very disappointed because he doesn't want his other friends to feel left out. And the weird thing about the candy is they were allowed to bring in treats for Halloween and birthdays, etc. :confused:

[Evansmom]

You know this is just my observation but public schools keep taking away things from their programs and still things don't get better. Over the years there is less time spent on parties, PE, Art etc and more time spent on testing related material but somehow I don't feel kids are getting a better education.

[Blackcat31]

On the other side of the coin, can you imagine what an additional hassle ANY holiday or celebration is for school teachers and staff?!?

Ugh, kids complaining because they didn't get a Valentine from so-and-so, kids buying those Valentine's that have lipops, toys and trinkets attached to them. One kid got one, one kid took another kids', Jimmy brought ones with candy on it and Janie is allergic to the nuts in the candy, Suzie got one from Billy but she doesn't want it etc etc....

I'd want to avoid it at all costs too.

[Country Kids]

On the other side of the coin, can you imagine what an additional hassle ANY holiday or celebration is for school teachers and staff?!?

Ugh, kids complaining because they didn't get a Valentine from so-and-so, kids buying those Valentine's that have lipops, toys and trinkets attached to them. One kid got one, one kid took another kids', Jimmy brought ones with candy on it and Janie is allergic to the nuts in the candy, Suzie got one from Billy but she doesn't want it etc etc....

I'd want to avoid it at all costs too.

No different then it was for our teachers and they seemed to handle it just fine.

Our kids aren't even allowed to get the Valentines out till later I think (when they get home).

Our parties are at the very end of the day and might last 45 min plus the entire room has to be put entirely back. They seem to have time for all types of parties but not Holiday ones that will be with them their entire lifes. I have also noticed it depends on the teachers-in the 6 years my son has been in school only 2 teachers loved giving parties and we went all out. All the kids still talk about those two teachers and actually dread parties in the grade they are in because the teachers are just not fun.

[Solandia]

I completely understand the schools on this. It is a horrible time to add yet another distraction to the curriculum. The kids are JUST getting into a good focus after winter break, practice for standardized tests is just gearing up (which for us is the first week in March). Spring Break is end of March...It is a funk time of year anyway, you would think a little party would liven things up, but it isn't worth the fallout at a critical time of year.

...for being such a harmless holiday, it sure causes a crap-ton of social issues, too. There is the candy, the someone who gets left out, the kids who can't afford to give any valentines, or forget them at home...cue the drama tears in elementary school.

[CedarCreek]

Those all seem like things that they have to deal with any way.

"Johnny took my scissors"

"why did Mary get the blue marker? I want a blue marker!"

Kids complain about everything.

I see how holidays can be a hassle but they aren't everyday. Part of being a kid is having fun. I think as adults we tend to forget that sometimes. I say let them have the darn party. Its not going to kill the teachers. I always do a party here. The kids have a blast.

[Springdaze]

Sounds like that principal doesnt have a valentine! I agree about lets have Halloween, but not Valentine's Day is messed up! If they didnt have Halloween at school, I could almost skip it, which is what I would almost prefer. I agree with Evansmom about taking out all the fun stuff at school but the kids still not learning what they should. Children can learn alot from Valentines day, as well as other celebrations if it is done right. Ok, I get the no candy thing, but come on! Why not just send the kids to the factory when they turn 5!?

[Blackcat31]

No different then it was for our teachers and they seemed to handle it just fine.

Our kids aren't even allowed to get the Valentines out till later I think (when they get home).

Our parties are at the very end of the day and might last 45 min plus the entire room has to be put entirely back. They seem to have time for all types of parties but not Holiday ones that will be with them their entire lifes. I have also noticed it depends on the teachers-in the 6 years my son has been in school only 2 teachers loved giving parties and we went all out. All the kids still talk about those two teachers and actually dread parties in the grade they are in because the teachers are just not fun.

I disagree with this as far as MY experience goes. The way parties and such are handled and dealt with now days is NOTHING like it was when I was a kid or when my own were kids.

None of the parties are at the end of the day but rather are part of the whole day. Kids opened Valentine's during the day. My kids brought ALL theirs home opened and eaten already (if there was food attached).

May have been completely different for you and if so, I totally see your perspective then but I agree with everything Solandia said.

I completely understand the schools on this. It is a horrible time to add yet another distraction to the curriculum. The kids are JUST getting into a good focus after winter break, practice for standardized tests is just gearing up (which for us is the first week in March). Spring Break is end of March...It is a funk time of year anyway, you would think a little party would liven things up, but it isn't worth the fallout at a critical time of year.

...for being such a harmless holiday, it sure causes a crap-ton of social issues, too. There is the candy, the someone who gets left out, the kids who can't afford to give any valentines, or forget them at home...cue the drama tears in elementary school.

I totally agree!


Plus, I kind of feel like "love" and the whole idea of Valentine's is something I would feel better about doing with MY own child(ren) privately within my own family.