Claremont school Thanksgiving costumes create a commotion

Nearly two dozen protesters were stationed this morning in front of Condit Elementary School in Claremont, the site of a decades-old Thanksgiving tradition that is under fire because kindergartners dress up in handmade pilgrim and Native American costumes.

After a handful of parents complained that the Native American headdresses and vests were demeaning, cartoonish stereotypes, the Claremont Unified School District eliminated the costumes from this year's festivities, but allowed the turkey feast to go forward.

The protesters were evenly split between parents who supported the costumes and parents who opposed the outfits, and their discussion grew so heated that school officials called police, who separated the protesters on separate sidewalks, said Lt. Dennis Smith of the Claremont Police Department.

Police are also paying extra attention to Claremont schools Supt. David Cash's home, after he called police to report he was receiving hate e-mails and feared for his safety, Smith said. The e-mails did not rise to the level of criminal prosecution.

Cash and Condit principal Tim Northrop did not return phone calls seeking comment, but school employees reported that the commotion in front of the school was heated.

"It's been wild," said one woman who declined to give her name. Meanwhile, the kindergartners -- some of whom showed up wearing their banned costumes -- frolicked on the playground, eating, running and chattering with friends, Smith said. "The kids were oblivious," he added, "as they should be."

--Seema Mehta

Read the original story here.

Comments

[PAM]

Does this professor even remember what Thanksgiving was really about? An oppressed group from Europe known as the pilgrims came to America to practice their religion freely, live in peace, and through the agonizing reality of traveling from afar, having to survive, the very kind and gracious Native Americans they met freely helped them. In the end they feasted together, people of different faiths, from different lands, celebrating their thankfulness. I think this "Thanksgiving" celelebration between these Claremont kids teaches kindness, sharing, and celebrating diversity and the great things that happened in America's history. Yes, many Native Americans were later killed and hurt by non-pilgrims, but the spirit of Thanksgiving is not that, it is of immense gratitude and friendship despite any differences.

Shame on the staff and the professor who tried to ban this festivity that celebrates peace, equality, thankfulness, and sharing.

[american-american]

These people who complain "What about the Jews, Muslims, Nazis" WAKE UP!!! THey had absolutely NOTHING to do with the start of this country! The TRUE stories about the Pilgrims and the Indians not only should but MUST be celebrated. That is what Thanksgiving is all about and that beginning is the asis for the starting of this country!

When I was in school, I always took part in our Thanksgiving programs. I taught us all many things. We learned the importaince of cooperation, tolerance and forgiveness. It is obvous that NO BODY ELSE HERE ever learned this.

I give thanks to all my great teachers, my mother and many others who taught me to respect and help anyone and everyone, just like the Pilgrims and Indians of Plymouth.

These people who complain about the degrading Indian and Pigrim costumes probably let their little girls dress like WHORES on Halloween but think it is wrong to show pride and thanks for where America started!

[Kim]

WOW...Are we all that bored that this matters so much. Isn't there anything else going on? Last week I heard parents say that the siblings of the children who paricipated last year are broken hearted because they were so looking forward to this event. Please these kids are 4 and 5 years old! Looking forward to this event....They are feeling what they hear their parents say. I feel like people need to get a life!!! And I live here in Claremont. I think both sides are ridiculous and feed off drama!!!!! Please try to keep your drama from ruining what is one of the greatest school districts in the US!!!!! You should all be ashamed!

[Clare]

Well...since they find a Thanksgiving so objectionable I guessing the Wounded Knee Re-Enactment and Carnival is really in trouble.

[KO]

I agree with the poster (Uh Ooo) who suggested that the parent who started this use it as a teaching opportunity as opposed to having no dress-up at all, which serves no purpose. Ms. Raheja could have worked with the schools and used her knowledge of her family's ancestry to educate the students about how some Native American tribes dressed. The sad thing to me here is that these students look forward to this activity and go into it with the best of intentions. I don't think the kids intend to mock when they dress, but to use their creativity to interpret historical events as they picture them. Unfortunately, as adults we often lose the ability to look through the innocent eyes of a child and not assume the worst of motives behind people's actions.

[dudeman1961]

Yeah, the story may be partially fabricated, but how is telling 5 year olds that '2 different cultures sat downin friendship to give thanks to their creator and each othe for what thye haver' so terrible? In another part of the state my son's school did this and it was so cute. We have indian blood way back, and he thought it was so cool to be the indian, which according to the story were the one's who helped teach the pilgrims how to plant the corn successfully.

As others have said,.try to look at it through the eyes of a 5 year old, with innocence and awe of a story of friendship and helpfulness and love for others.

The anti-celebrators are messed up!

[debrisbox]

this is better than Jerry Springer

[Carolyn Gonzales]

STOP! the nonsense. If there is a problem with what the children were wearing, why did the protesters not offer a 'CORRECT form of attire". The future "Native Americans" (back in the 1700's they were identified as Indians, no disrespect, it is a heritage of honor - my greatgrandmother shared that heritage) in anycase, they were wearing something. So, get the costume straightened out, and let's move forward - - We should NOT STOP the activity. Exactly, what is demeaning? There were no slurs, no one upmanship, the Pilgrims outfits were pretty hilarious too. Perhaps we, as a people , have lost our sense of purpose, so we try to forge one out of insignificant issues. It is only when one has no pride that they are offended so easily.

[tarbubble]

At my 6-year-old's school they did the standard silly paper faux Plains Tribes headdresses today. I didn't notice any Pilgrims, but I'm sure there must have been a few. I do sort of wish they would either get the Native American garb right or not do it at all. But I feel the need to point out that the population at our school is overwhelmingly Central American. So is it equally offensive when a bunch of Mexican/Nicaraguan/Panamanian (etc) Indians dress up?

I kind of look at Thanksgiving as a fantasy of what could have been, what should have been. The kids will learn about the Native American holocaust soon enough, but it's nice that they get taught some idealism before they have to face the reality of what happened.

[Stacey]

I had an American Indian friend tell me once that they do not celebrate "Thanksgiving" because it was supposed to be a going away party. The complaints here about the political correctness of the decision make me sad. After four hundred years we still don't seem to be able to muster any shame or remorse about the treatment of American Indians that was tantamount to genocide. How can you not see how they might be offended by the institutionalized carictures of American Indians in our schools. Here's an idea, why don't we try to be respectful of everyone.

[Kimberly]

Let us all take a second to think about what city our children are so blessed to attend school in. In a time of MID YEAR school budget cuts and potential layoffs for most school districts... Claremont District and David Cash have worked tirelessly over the last few years to assure that our school would not have mid year cuts. Not only will every single child who attends a Claremont School recieve music and art this year... but our children will not lose programs in the middle of the year. Other children in the US are not as lucky. And here we are, so caught up in the emotion of this event that we overlook what it does to our school and the people who have worked so hard to assure the education of our children. Now I know that quite a few of the people fighting this battle are new to our school district as Kinder parents. They may not know how hard our district works for our children. AND in allowing the emotion of both sides to fester into David Cash and the principal at Condit getting phone calls is ridiculous. I would hope that people were grateful for their children to live in this district! I am disgusted that these parents act out of emotion and turn into children themselves. (both sides) Please get back to reality and realize how lucky you are to be here in Claremont and that your children are healthy. And leave our Dr. Cash and our principals alone. They work too hard for your children and do not deserve this. They take care of plenty of small children every day. They should not have to deal with full grown children!

[Parent]

What are missed on this article are signs that these protestors had. The signs said "Don’t Celebrate Genocide" and "Racist" the racist sign had an arrow on it and when kids were walking by they were pointing the arrow to the kids. The School Board and the Superintend is not going to stop this celebration.

There was also another Native American holding a sign in support of the celebration.

[TJ]

Claremont has always had it's share of sniveling lukewarm liberals....add in a recent version of today's oh so sensitive english teachers and, well, what ELSE would you expect. Cheers to those who stand for a tradition tied in with the early years of our country...a tradition that, lo and behold up to now has NOT caused the world to reverse it's direction, or ruined the remaining years of a normal fun loving kid. Oh, that's right,,, perhaps the children of said teachers aren't supposed to have much fun.

[Teach]

I'd like to see the children dressed up like slaves and slave sellers. or even like the people at Hiroshima after the nuclear bomb, just for fun, you know.

[Amused]

Where else but in California has P/C replaced common sense!

[Mike]

I'm not even going to buy gas in Claremont anymore. Just pass by on the freeway and laugh. What a freakin' joke.

[Clare]

the really sad thing about this whole thing? In 1621 the pilgrims and local Native Americans did celebrate a common Thanksgiving dinner. They eventually did agree on a peace treaty and although it didn't last forever, for a full fifty years they did continue to live in peace. When you consider the life expectancy of anyone in 1621 fifty years is well within the the average lifespan. Therefore just about anyone (certainly any adult) present at that first Thanksgiving DID enjoy a peaceful co existance with the nearby strangers for the rest of their lives. Certainly that is something to celebrate. I really can't imagine what this woman is complaining about. Unless she's got some really specific gripe about the costumes- I can't see how its anything other than a helpful historical lesson.

[Susan Aleman]

Our money is going up in flames in the stock market. You need to worry about our economy not our childrens' Thanksgiving events! Shame on you! Thank you parents who kept our tradition of wearing costumes today. You all looked great!

[D.A.M.!]

What about the CLEVELAND INDIANS ?????? They need help ! ! ! !

[bryan]

I would have to agree with comments about appreciateing the Native American culture more when i participated in those corny Thanksgiving activities in elementary school. You have to start somewhere. They will learn more details as they get older just as i did. You can't start with the whole enchilada at 5 years old, they will lose interest. Whose to say that the kindergarten interpretation of a real native american headress isn't accurate anyway. Cartoonish stereotypes? No, try simple diagrams. As an architect I draw simple diagrams of very complex systems all the time. It helps my audience LEARN. If i just showed them the actual system, they would walk away gaining nothing from the meeting.

[Carlos]

The original article mentions the fact that Native Americans are on both sides of this issue. I am a long-nosed darkskinned 3/8 Indian, and used to work on the Reservation. I take no offense to children dressing up as Indians. I feel like they are honoring my people.

Also the person who commented that 'white people need to shut up' regarding this issue is unreasonable. It's like saying that only Han Chinese and Tibetans can have a valid opinion regarding the staus of Tibet.

These 'Indian' College professors are not representative of most Indians. Indians have the highest rate of military service based on ethnicity, and tend to be very patriotic.

[havesomemanners]

So let me get this straight: so many people are taken by the sweet story of how famously the Pilgrims and the Native Americans allegedly got along that they are willing to angrily shout down present-day Native Americans who are offended by their cartoonish representation. Some are sending hate mail, lots of people commenting here are calling the protesters "PC" as if that somehow trumps all other arguments.

Those of you who express anger at the protesters are exposing your guilt by being so defensive. You know it's wrong to teach children that Native Americans are just colorful entertainment figures from the past, yet you belligerently insist on your right to be offensive. Whose really being PC, the people who want to preserve a little historical dignity, or the fools who insist on their "right" to denigrate others?

[Rebecca]

My son attended Condit and got a good education. For that I give thanks.
My son attends UCR now, OMG.....! For that I need to pray harder.

[LokalYokal]

My wife and I have enjoyed living in Claremont for three years. We love this city! I'm glad, however, that our children are grown and that we didn't have to subject them to the ridiculousness of this morning's demonstration.
I grew up in Pennsylvania...learned how to shoot a gun and a bow. I loved Indian Lore and always had a deep respect for Natve Americans even before the term existed. Never once, in all my years in school nor since have I felt predjudiced. Anti-semitism is taught. The teachers in my school never taught that, however. We were taught that at Thanksgiving there were no bad guys...only good. As best as we could we decorated and celebrated. As a result, I think I have a sense of what happened that day when people from two cultures came together to give thanks.
No, it''s not appropriate to act out the Holocaust with 5-year-olds! But Pilgrims and Indians at Thanksgiving? What a great tradition!

[Carolyn]

BRAVO for the Claremont parents who stood up to the politically correct BULLYS. They set a WONDERFUL example for their children - that one of the founding principles of this country is the right to FREE SPEECH and to fight against TYRANNY.