The Baby Jesus, Tom Turkey and Cupid are about to be given the heave-ho at a Minnesota elementary school to be more inclusive of their ethnically diverse student population. Bruce Vento Elementary School, in St. Paul, has decided to stop celebrating Valentine’s Day along with other “dominant holidays” including Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“My personal feeling is we need to find a way to honor and engage in holidays that are inclusive of our student population,” Principal Scott Masini wrote in a letter to parents. The Star-Tribune reports the letter was surfaced on a private Facebook page titled, “Supporting St. Paul Students and Teachers.” “I have come to the difficult decision to discontinue the celebration of the dominant holidays until we can come to a better understanding of how the dominant view will suppress someone else’s view,” the principal noted. The Star-Tribune reports Masini made the decision to can the holidays in consultation with his staff. FULL REPORT
