A different point of view

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Home : 2001 : July : 16

A different point of view
By Melissa

I was one of those students who was a Jehovah's Witness my whole school career. I first learned about Christmas and Santa Claus when I was in kindergarten, because I went to a public school. I was not allowed to participate
in holiday parties or birthday celebrations. Because my parents worked, I couldn't just stay home from school on those days as some have suggested. I was forced to spend the party times in the library at my school. I always thought it unfair that the students who could and would celebrate holidays and birthdays at home got to celebrate them at school, too. It didn't feel good to always

be the odd person out, but my teachers, like many here, thought that since I was the "weird" one, I could leave so everyone else could live their lives "normally". In a country that is supposed to be so tolerant to diversity, it is very hard to be different from the majority, especially in schools. Now, as a teacher, I am extra sensitive to those students that are in the minority, be it religious or otherwise. If I have a student in my class that cannot or does not want to celebrate these occassions, we don't do it for anyone during school hours. Those children that do celebrate will get a chance to do so at home.