First Jell-O, now Santa

[radioguy]

First Jell-O, now Santa
OAK LAWN School district considers banning traditions seen as offensive to Muslims
September 28, 2007
BY ANGELA CAPUTO Daily Southtown


So long, Halloween parade. Farewell, Santa's gift shop.
The holiday traditions are facing elimination in some Oak Lawn schools this year after complaints that the activities are offensive, particularly to Muslim students.

Final decisions on which of the festivities will be axed will fall to the principals at each of Ridgeland School District 122's five schools, Supt. Tom Smyth said.

Parents expect that the announcement is going to add to the tension that has been building since officials agreed earlier this month to change the lunch menu to exclude items containing pork to accommodate Muslim students. News that Jell-O was struck from the menu caused such a stir that officials have agreed to bring it back. Gelatin is often made with tissue or bones of pigs or other animals.

That controversy now appears to have been been dwarfed by the holiday debate, which became so acrimonious Wednesday that police were called to Columbus Manor School to intervene in a shouting match among parents.

"It's difficult when you change the school's culture," said Columbus Manor Principal Sandy Robertson.

Full Story (http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/578734,CST-NWS-oaklawn28.article)

[Linkster]

good deal - its about time they take religious activities out of schools - although the pork would also affect jewish students as well as the muslims

[LadyMod at scam.com]

good deal - its about time they take religious activities out of schools - although the pork would also affect jewish students as well as the muslims

I think it's a good thing if they stop celebrating all the religious holidays, though I wasn't aware that suddenly in America that Halloween was now considered a holiday. And Christmas celebrations in schools is typically Santa Claus. :confused:

But I think the school officials are getting a little anal retentive to ban jello. Political correctness can be taken to extremes. If they weren't afraid of offending Jews all these years (who don't eat pork products either) then they shouldn't be bending over backwards for other religious sects. Just offer other options.

Sheesh!

[Linkster]

I think a lot of christian fundies have inserted the affiliation of halloween with the old Wiccan traditions and tried to remove the activities from schools - kinda stupid to go to all their lengths when you realize that christmas originated with pagan ritual and not a christian holiday :lmao2:

[LadyMod at scam.com]

I think a lot of christian fundies have inserted the affiliation of halloween with the old Wiccan traditions and tried to remove the activities from schools - kinda stupid to go to all their lengths when you realize that christmas originated with pagan ritual and not a christian holiday :lmao2:

Very true. But they have been brainwashed to believe it originated with "Their" pagan rituals ergo, it must be OK. :thumbsup:

:lmao2:

[Smurf-Herder]

good deal - its about time they take religious activities out of schools - although the pork would also affect jewish students as well as the muslims

I've never really thought about it, but ............

.......... you mean Muslim and Jewish kids have never eaten Jello?

Did you hear of the Musim kid that had to undergo psychological counseling because another kid offered him a ham sandwich at lunch?


There's just something weird about this religious food thing.

Does that mean they don't shampoo their hair?

Animal protein is in a hell of a lot of things, you know.


Well, I sure see one thing very clearly. We need to start bombing whoever we're bombing from now on with bacon. Thousands of tons of bacon. They'll just freak out totally. Imagine thousands of tons of bacon falling from the sky. Millions of little strips of bacon. Falling on their cars, houses and streets. And they can't even touch it to clean it up.

Nobody has to die. Just psychological warfare - from a breakfast food! :lmao2:

[Linkster]

Actually pork was banned for a really good reason historically - at least thats what my rabbi told me when I used to be in the jewish faith
In the sun and heat with little preservation pork has a tendency to develop more disease that can kill a person than just about any other "larger meat source" - you cant just store it for ages. So 3000 years ago they had these "rules" for good health reasons

[Linkster]

I see I didnt answer your other question - if you go to a store pick up a bottle of shampoo or other product and if it has a little circle with a K in the center then it has been certified to be free of any offending animal products - and yes we really used to pay attention at stores to what you were buying to make sure it was "kosher"

[Linkster]

Heres a good link that explains all of the markings you will find at your local grocery or drug store:
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=744988

[Smurf-Herder]

Actually pork was banned for a really good reason historically - at least thats what my rabbi told me when I used to be in the jewish faith
In the sun and heat with little preservation pork has a tendency to develop more disease that can kill a person than just about any other "larger meat source" - you cant just store it for ages. So 3000 years ago they had these "rules" for good health reasons

Yeah, I heard that.

But it really speaks to their disassociation from the basis of their beliefs. Because there is no "spiritual" basis for the food thing; but they treat it that way. Only the circumstances of food preserving technology centuries ago.

[Smurf-Herder]

Heres a good link that explains all of the markings you will find at your local grocery or drug store:
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=744988

The schools reaction was impulsive. And maybe initially geared toward pandering, by making the announcement in the first place.

There actually is a kosher Jello.

[Linkster]

Yeah, I heard that.

But it really speaks to their disassociation from the basis of their beliefs. Because there is no "spiritual" basis for the food thing; but they treat it that way. Only the circumstances of food preserving technology centuries ago.

I totally agree - and unfortunately what a lot of people fail to realize is that entire religions were really based on what ancient civilizations passed down as word of mouth tradition - and usually based on factual occurances. A really good example is the "great flood" that occurred in the bible is really a retelling of the story of what happened 4800 years ago when scientists are pretty sure an extremely large comet hit the Indian Ocean which would have caused (and you can actually still see the effects of) a huge tsunami that would have wiped 50% of all living creatures off the face fo the earth - and caused certain population centers to pack up and move on long journeys to settle in other areas.

[Smurf-Herder]

I totally agree - and unfortunately what a lot of people fail to realize is that entire religions were really based on what ancient civilizations passed down as word of mouth tradition - and usually based on factual occurances. A really good example is the "great flood" that occurred in the bible is really a retelling of the story of what happened 4800 years ago when scientists are pretty sure an extremely large comet hit the Indian Ocean which would have caused (and you can actually still see the effects of) a huge tsunami that would have wiped 50% of all living creatures off the face fo the earth - and caused certain population centers to pack up and move on long journeys to settle in other areas.

I think I saw that on either the Discover channel, or the History channel.

I just don't see the continued spiritual significance to certain foods. It has a superstitious quality.

[Linkster]

That explains it perfectly - since the origin of religion is superstition :thumbsup: