Thanksgiving in Claremont: Tolerant tradition or demeaning display?

Parents are protesting this morning outside Condit Elementary School in Claremont, the site Tuesday of a decades-old tradition involving kindergartners dressing up as pilgrims and Native Americans and sharing a Thanksgiving feast.

After a handful of parents objected to the children's hand-made construction-paper head-dresses and bonnets, district officials decided to eliminate the costumes and go forward with the meal and the songs. Parents are not pleased. To read more, click here.

-- Seema Mehta

Photo provided by Kathleen Lucas

Comments

[spencer wax]

this is stupid why is that one knucklehead has to ruin a holiday. this is for the children let them have fun and be kids. as a parent of three boys this thanksgiving and christmas is for them like it should be. here is a thought lets be thankfull that we are alive and our childern look up to us.

[Linda Johnson]

I was a first-grade teacher for many years and had a Thanksgiving Feast each year. Although it was a lot of work making the costumes, I felt it was worth the effort because the children enjoyed it so much. Also I was under the impression that I was teaching history. Old paintings of the Pilgrims and First Americans show them wearing clothing similar to the children's costumes. Also history books for adults tell us that the native people helped the Pilgrims to survive the first winter. Isn't this true?

Perhaps the person who objected to this activity could enlighten the rest of us. How DID the Native Americans dress? How did the Pilgrims dress? Who helped the Pilgrims survive? Who taught them how to plant corn? How was the First Thanksgiving celebrated? And finally what kind of costumes should the children wear?

Teaching history to very young children is extremely challenging. The only way to do it is through storytelling and play acting.