Toronto School Board Warns Against Offending Wiccans at Halloween

LifeSite ^ | October 28, 2005

[NYer]

Toronto School Board Warns Against Offending Wiccans at Halloween

Calls Halloween “religious day of significance for Wiccans” which “should be treated respectfully”

TORONTO, October 28, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Toronto School Board warned its schools that Halloween as it is traditionally celebrated may offend Wiccans, even suggesting that to a Wiccan unuse to the event, it might be experienced as a “traumatic shock.”

In a memo to teachers and principals, the board claimed, “Many recently arrived students in our schools share absolutely none of the background cultural knowledge that is necessary to view ‘trick or treating,’ the commercialization of death, the Christian sexist demonization of pagan religious beliefs, as ‘fun.’”

Citing that Halloween is a breach of its “equitable schools policies,” the board, in its memo titled Halloween at TDSB Schools: Scarrrrrry Stufff, warned that “some students and their parents/ guardians might experience their first Halloween not as a ‘strange surprise,’ but [as] a ‘traumatic shock,’” adding that “Halloween is a religious day of significance for Wiccans and therefore should be treated respectfully.”

Society for Quality Education executive director Doretta Wilson told the Globe, “This is unbelievable. I'm sorry I'm laughing because it's so funny to read this thing. I just think it's taking political correctness to a ridiculous extreme,” she added.

Wilson said, “It’s almost as if it's not politically correct to be a Christian nowadays in our country.” Wilson also questioned to what degree Wicca is represented in the student population.

The Toronto School Board, one of the largest in Canada, has been notable for other controversial policies. In 1994, it rejected requests from Muslim and other parents to have their elementary school children exempted from the board’s mandatory "anti-homophobia education" sessions.

See related news:
Wicca, the Pagan Temptation for Youth Increases Followers
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/4839.article
Wicca Casts Spell Over College Students
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,72791,00.html
Toronto School Children Forced to Endure Homosexual Sensitivity Training
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/nov/04111711.html
TORONTO SCHOOL BOARD IMPLEMENTING AGGRESSIVE HOMOSEXUAL INDOCTRINATION
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2000/jul/00071804.html

[cajungirl]

I was gonna take up for the FR atheists but counted on the FR Jews to do it.

[Americanexpat]

You know when I was a kid (a long time ago) we kids did not "celebrate" Halloween. We dressed up in costumes and went door to door and trick or treated. It was all innocent and fun.

Now, since the dissing of everything Christian and religious, banning the Ten Commandment's, banning Xmas decorations. We have banned Christian prayers in schools while forcing other students to take classes about the religion of Islam. Now we talk ban things that might offend one or two people, and all since the PC rush to justice started.

[CaptainCanada]

"Really, Freepers aren't known for their sensitivity. In that case you wouldn't have been offended by my statement. You'll find that I will not be offended when you take shots at any individual or group of individuals in Canada for anything they say and do. But when you knock Canada and Canadians in general and project the behaviour of a few on the total population, you will find that I'm going to give it to you and anyone else who generalizes the behaviour of a few aholes in Canada on the entire population. There are also idiots on the U.S. side of the border who do and say stupid things, I don't see you projecting that unto the entire U.S. population and calling America a toilet bowl, so I'll be more polite and tell you to dummy up.

[cajungirl]

Hey, I didn't insult Canada.

I didn't say a word except Freepers are mean to me because I live in Loosiana.

I am on your side Dude.

[CaptainCanada]

O.K., I apologize (cause I'm a polite Canadian).
I mistakenly thought you'd insulted the Great White North and I've knocked guys teeth out in hockey games for a whole helluva lot less than that.
So g'day,eh?

[cajungirl]

When my daughters traveled in Europe while in college, they told everyone they were from Canada,,people treated them nicer. ANyway a group of guys from Canada traveled with them down to Italy and Greece to protect them. One fell for my middle daughter,courted her like mad, we loved him. But it wasn't meant.

I like people from Canada, exceptfor the ones who hate us.

[starfish923]

Atheism is for the most spoiled relative moralists around. It's the ultimate self-absorption and egoism. Imagine being so arrogant as to believe that there is NOTHING higher or better in our existance than SELF. What a sad, pathetic display of their character. You're right. What is there to look forward to? Nothing. What a hopeless, despairing view of one's life, self, purpose and future.
The many atheist FReepers here would beg to disagree...

I'm sure they would. That is part of their m.o. in believing that nothing exists after death....that they are IT as far as existence goes, the center, purpose, nature and structure of existence. Lol. No arrogance there.
For them to deny that would be denying who they think they are.

It takes all kinds. They can beg all they want. Better them than me.

[Heartofsong83]

The Toronto School Board is a communist organization...several of their trustees are confirmed Marxists!