A St. Paul, Minnesota elementary school has scrapped celebrations of Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas in the name of diversity.
Principal Scott Masini of Bruce Vento Elementary School wrote in a letter to parents: ‘My personal feeling is we need to find a way to honor and engage in holidays that are inclusive of our student population.’
He acknowledged that banning the ‘dominant holidays’ would be an unpopular move.
But the decision is in line with school board policies made in 2008 to discourage festivities outside federal holidays such as Washington’s Birthday or Veteran’s Day, which are acknowledged by law.
Masini, who has served as the principal since 2013, was concerned that the celebrations may be ‘encroaching on the educational opportunities of others and threatening the culture of tolerance and respect for all’.
The school’s website shows the student population is roughly 63 percent Asian, 24 percent black, 10 percent Hispanic and 4 percent Caucasian.
The Star Tribune reported the school letter was shared on the invite-only Facebook page, Supporting St Paul Students and Teachers.
Parents left comments calling the move ‘totally ridiculous’ and ‘very sad’.
The principal’s holiday ban is just the latest in a changing tide in schools across the nation.
Many schools in New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania have already prohibited Halloween, while others are in favor of generic seasonal celebrations like the fall harvest.