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Mass. elementary school changes name of St. Patrick's Day to O'Green Day to be more inclusive
960Well ^ | March 15, 2012 | Billy Hallowell

Posted on 03/16/2012 9:42:30 AM PDT by NYer

(Billy Hallowell) -- St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday rooted in Christian values, however secular celebrations are also regularly held to commemorate the day. In fact, for a great many, the religious tones aren’t even a consideration, as alcohol, Shamrock shakes and other fun-filled elements regularly dominate the day’s observations. Somehow, though, the holiday is reportedly still too religious for one Massachusetts elementary school.

At the Soule Road School in Wilbraham, St. Patrick‘s Day has been replaced as the name for the school’s celebration surrounding the popular holiday. It’s been replaced with the generic “O’Green Day.” MassLive.com’s Patrick Johnson calls the move “a heavy-handed attempt to instill political correctness among the impressionable 4th and 5th graders.”

The school’s principal, Lisa Curtin, is apparently looking to become more inclusive. So, rather than tout St. Patrick’s Day, she has purportedly come up with a way to circumvent the faith-related nature of the holiday. The school apparently did something similar for St. Valentine’s Day, which, in some classrooms, was referred to as “Caring and Kind Day.”

A copy of the school’s calendar shows March 16 listed as ”O’Green Day / Tasting’ of the Green,” although St. Patrick’s Day does, indeed, appear on the calendar (on Saturday):

Soule Road School Reportedly Changes Name of St. Patricks Day

On this day, students are apparently being encouraged to wear green and they will be treated to special, green colored vegetables in the cafeteria.

“I think it’s really stupid,” says local resident Janet Carlyle. “I don‘t understand why they would change history’s old holiday names to something just to remove the essence of religion of it when it’s not really religious holidays.”

Another parent said that the changes were made to accommodate “faith issues.”

“I think in today’s world to try and make children understand caring and consideration is, I can understand from that point of view,” said Joan Harrington, a former high school teacher. “As someone who’s been around a long time, the holidays have meaning to me.”

Regardless of the motivation, these holiday name-changes reflect the growing removal of faith-based values and mentions in public schools.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Philosophy; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: arth; politicalcorrectness; school; stpatricksday
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1 posted on 03/16/2012 9:42:33 AM PDT by NYer
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To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; SumProVita; ...
The kids could benefit from a heavy dose of saintly facts ...

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


2 posted on 03/16/2012 9:43:44 AM PDT by NYer (He who hides in his heart the remembrance of wrongs is like a man who feeds a snake on his chest. St)
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To: NYer
Green Day................ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_day
3 posted on 03/16/2012 9:46:05 AM PDT by Red Badger (If the Government can make you buy health insurance, they can make you buy a Volt................)
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To: NYer

This is what happens when government is involved in education. Biggest mistake the American people ever made.


4 posted on 03/16/2012 9:46:49 AM PDT by Pining_4_TX ( The state is the great fiction by which everybody seeks to live at the expense of everybody else. ~)
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To: NYer

Interesting that the day following O’Green day is still St. Patrick’s Day...


5 posted on 03/16/2012 9:47:19 AM PDT by null and void (Day 1151 of America's ObamaVacation from reality [Heroes aren't made, Frank, they're cornered...])
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To: NYer

St Patrick was a gentleman
He came from decent people
He built his church in Dublin Town
And on it put a steeple
His father was a Gallagher
His mother was a Grady
His aunt was an O’Shaughnessy
His uncle was a Brady
The Wicklow Hills are very high
And so is the Hill of Howth sir
There’s a hill much higher still
Higher than them both sir
On the top of this high hill
St Patrick preached his sermon
Which drove the frogs into the bogs
And banished all the vermin


6 posted on 03/16/2012 9:49:31 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: NYer
Maybe Chicago will replace the traditional dyeing of the Chicago River green with a rainbow flavor to be, well, you know.
7 posted on 03/16/2012 9:51:07 AM PDT by ConservativeStatement (Obama "acted stupidly.")
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To: NYer

Just another example of the indoctrination of the next generation of left-wing moonbats.


8 posted on 03/16/2012 9:52:17 AM PDT by july4thfreedomfoundation (I'm NOT smitten' with Mittens)
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To: NYer
Why is St. Patrick's day not inclusive? Neither is MLK day or Black History Month.

Washington's birthday is now "president's day".

Is the left going to take all of our traditional holidays and turn them into something "diversified"?

Government schools are indocrination units now.
9 posted on 03/16/2012 9:53:20 AM PDT by FrankR
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To: NYer

Janet Carlyle says: “I don‘t understand why they would change history’s old holiday names to something just to remove the essence of religion...”

You’ve already answered your own question Ms. Carlyle.


10 posted on 03/16/2012 9:54:02 AM PDT by MichaelCorleone (Stop feeding the beast; spend money only with those who support traditional American values.)
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To: NYer

isn’t calling an irishman O’Green an insult? or at least a racial slur?


11 posted on 03/16/2012 9:55:18 AM PDT by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: NYer
On this day, students are apparently being encouraged to wear green and they will be treated to special, green colored vegetables in the cafeteria.

Green vegetables? How novel!

12 posted on 03/16/2012 9:55:35 AM PDT by RansomOttawa (tm)
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To: camle

I am sick & tired of these Irish stereotypes......As soon as I finish this drink, I’m gunna punch someone!


13 posted on 03/16/2012 9:57:41 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: Puppage

Q: What’s green and hangs out in your back yard?

A: Paddy O’Furniture


14 posted on 03/16/2012 10:02:42 AM PDT by ladyjane
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To: Puppage

lol


15 posted on 03/16/2012 10:05:26 AM PDT by camle (keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
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To: NYer

The dirty little secret...O stands for Obama!


16 posted on 03/16/2012 10:07:23 AM PDT by PoloSec ( Believe the Gospel: how that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again)
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To: NYer

When will they change the name of Martin Luther King Day?


17 posted on 03/16/2012 10:07:45 AM PDT by Cowboy Bob (Greed + Envy = Liberalism)
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To: FrankR
Is the left going to take all of our traditional holidays and turn them into something "diversified"?

Do you think changing Thanksgiving Day to "Give People The Bird Day" will fly?

18 posted on 03/16/2012 10:11:16 AM PDT by bigheadfred
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To: NYer

There is absolutely no reason why people who peomote this kind of PC idiocy should not immediately be removed from their positions and thrown into prison.


19 posted on 03/16/2012 10:12:32 AM PDT by Iron Munro (Liberals feel a great debt to mankind that they will pay off with your money. G. Gordon Liddy)
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To: NYer
Mass. elementary school changes name of St. Patrick's Day to O'Green Day to be more inclusive

I call it hate speech against the Catholic Church.

20 posted on 03/16/2012 10:12:57 AM PDT by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord!)
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