School sticks to policy of no Valentine's Day cards or candy
EUGENE, Ore. - Valentine's Day cards and candy won't be allowed at McCornack Elementary School this year.
That is the school's policy for all holidays, including birthdays.
But for Valentine's Day, twins Natalie and Sophie Elstone tried to rally their peers to sign a petition.
"We got a 101 signatures in the morning," Natalie said, "and we just asked people if they didn't like the idea that valentines day was canceled, and so many people wanted to sign."
School principal Tasha Katsuda said the principles of Valentine's Day should be practice every day.
"Our intentions are very worthy and good," Katsuda said. "We really want to support the inclusion of every one of our students. We have a lot of families at our school with a variety of values, and we make sure our practices are as welcoming and inclusive as possible."
Kerry Delf with the Eugene 4J School District said the district leaves such decisions up to individual schools. She did not have any information about whether other schools had banned Valentine's Day cards and candy.
Some McCornack parents who spoke to KVAL News said they don't see the harm in celebrating Valentine's Day.
"I think that kids need those little celebrations," said Danielle Benson, a McCornack parent. "We don't need to spend a lot of time, money or energy on them, but I think we still need to have those moments of celebration for those kids"
"There's enough things that they can't do any more, they don't need to take that away, too," said Bonnie Haase.
The signatures the twins gathered didn't do the trick this year. They said they were told the decision had already been made not to allow valentines on Valentine's Day.
"Yeah, it's why it's called a treat," Sophie said. "You only get it once a year."
McCornack Holiday Policy Memo
To promote healthy bodies and minds we will only serve healthy foods during instructional time, foods that align with the district policy. We appreciate parent/family support in maintaining a positive climate in the classroom and ask that parents coordinate directly with the homeroom teacher before bringing any food in for the class for any reason. Unhealthy food will be returned to parents and not accepted in the office according to district policy (also in the McCornack Parent/Student Handbook at http://mccornack.4j.lane.edu/).
To promote an inclusive learning environment and honor differences we ask that you refrain from sending holiday cards and items of any kind for distribution at school. We will continue to create a fun, positive classroom climate in a variety of ways that simultaneously support our focus on learning.
" "Our intentions are very worthy and good," Katsuda said. "We really want to support the inclusion of every one of our students. We have a lot of families at our school with a variety of values, and we make sure our practices are as welcoming and inclusive as possible." That my friends is an absolute lie. How can she say that and exclude kids that want Valentines Day. She is absolutely lying about her intentions. She should not hold the position that she holds, it is not good for our young people to witness this kind of behavior in an adult. "Everyone of our students", again that is a LIE!
We live in the United States of America. Folks died so that we could have our country and be free..We live in the greatest country in the world.. To hell with immigrants and foreigners who come here and want to impose their culture and religion upon us..shame on those who are allowing it. I grew up going to school celebrating valentine's day.. We had a blast .it was a fun time and a day that all school children looked forward to. We came home loaded up with valentines and candy.. both were good.Why deprive American children this pleasure and social interaction?We cannot keep catering to immigrants,They chose to come here.We didn't make them move here.We pay for public school funding,what right does this principle have to deny these young people a valentine's day celebration?The parents pay each and every paycheck when those taxes are taken out of it. When will you all stand up for your rights and your children's rights? Guess there will be a run to wal mart..for that vaseline.. cuz your going to need it,,bend over and take it!
So many people are using this to argue a political viewpoint. It is neither conservative or liberal. It is a principal who has odd priorities. My kids went to McCornack before and during this principal's time. The school has gone downhill and not just due to budget cuts. The last principal was friendly, greeted every kid by name, and was welcoming to parents. This one seems uncomfortable with the kids and parents. She just wants to impose edicts.
You guys do realize we have only been celebrating this officially since 1969. Also this comes from a Roman fertility festival celebrating gods and goddesses? Thanks for continuing to perpetuate the stereotype that conservatives are mentally deficient.
@RelaxThereIsNoGod Boy, arenât you a big sourpuss!
More indoctrination! Let us paint a little line and swat each young mind that deviates from that little thin line. For heavens sake we surely don't want any child to have his or her own mind, that might disrupt the indoctrination procedure. If I were raising children now, I would definitely home school. How do these people sleep at night, with their fangs in or out?
For the love of all the Gods. Really!! No Valentines cards or candies? This is the legacy people want to pass onto their children? What a mess up society! To think that the bastards prohibiting cards and candies most likely grew up celebrating Valentines on Feb 14, go figure!
@Barbieboy Valentine's Day was nothing until a group of card and candy companies got together with some marketers and turned it into a multi million industry.Te only legacy they are losing is a legacy of diabetes.
Yes, we must be diverse - but no American values or celebrations, no Christian holidays, no gifts (but we'll take your school supplies to give to others whether you like it or not), you'll learn to sign African songs instead of songs associated with Thanksgiving and Christmas and maybe - just maybe - if you're really dedicated to diversity we'll have a cannibal luncheon someday.  This is the town which wanted Saint Vincent dePaul to change their organizational name to Mr Vincent dePaul so the people who receive the gifts from this wonderful hardworking organization wouldn't be offended by the religiosity.  People are revolted by much if not most of what public schools have become - storage facilities and indoctrination centers for our children.  Oh what a brave new world our "educators" have invented.
@Reis Kash The sooner we get rid of religion the better.
@RelaxThereIsNoGod Your opinion.
 @Reis Kash Actually McCornack Elementary doesn't send out supply lists anymore, they charge a flat rate to be paid at the beginning of the year. Plus it isn't African songs they sing, but Mandarin Chinese as they are learning about the cultural difference of China from America. Makes you wonder who's values they are teaching...
This is why my child will never go to a public school that holds to these patterns of abuse against what our ancestors fought and died for. One nation under god, has become one nation under bs.
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@George Brown My ancestors didn't fight in wars,so we could by cheap made in china cards and have our kids give them out to people he doesn't even like.As for "under God" that was put in the pledge in the 1950's by a bunch of fundamentalist McCarthyists,a quick Google search will show you that.
It amazes me what our schools choose to focus on and the things they continue to ignore. Thank you liberals for continuing to assault what's left of this once great country.
How does banning a holiday teach cultural awareness and diversity? This has to be one of the dumbest things I've heard of. How does teaching cultural awareness and it's affects within our society not promote an inclusive learning environment. I think the principle needs to re-evaluate the schools role in children's lives and the importance of allowing children to experience healthy student interactions.
 @Twistthewrist I agree with you 100%: When they say honor diversity, and be inclusive of others, it doesnât include Americans and our traditions which have to be stiffled in order to make others who come here feel better about themselves. What about honoring MY traditions? I am, after all, living here, and have for generations, but then I guess I, and others who have lived here for generations too, donât matter anymore. Â
grainger: not sure if you are saying that it is ok for the culture of Americans to be forbidden in order to make all others who come to our shores feel more âat homeâ to follow their cultures here, but if you are, I TOTALLY DISAGREEÂ with you!!!! For one, others come here because we are the âhome of the freeâ, or used to be until those that came here decided that they want to follow their own traditions from their home countries and someone decided that to do so, WE, Americans, have to stop practicing our own traditions so they can feel more at home. Iâm sick of this kind of mentality. If You, as a foreigner, or transplanted person, or family from another country come here, feel free to follow your customs: BUT DONâT TELL ME THAT I, BORN HERE FROM GENERATIONS BORN HERE, CANâT FOLLOW MY TRADITIONS!!!Â
I have no problem with you celebrating the events you did wherever you came from, but I came from HERE, and I have the RIGHT just as you do, to celebrate MY events just as we had done for centuries before you got here.
And BTW, stop taking all the fun out of being a kid!!! YOU are fostering prejudice by doing things the way you are. By disallowing American traditions to be respected, you teach kids that it ISNâT OK do so.
@angelgabe So well said..and worded just right :) I commend you
 @angelgabe Wow are you off base,  I quoted the principles statement from the article. You should try reading a statement before you comment on it. I believe in American values,customs and traditions. I'm not a liberal I believe in American exceptionalism period. I'm tired of the progressive's telling us we must change our traditions so we don't offend immigrants. No wonder their not assimilating!
We really want to support the inclusion of every one of our students. We have a lot of families at our school with a variety of values, and we make sure our practices are as welcoming and inclusive as possible." Liberal logic 101 by catering to the perceived diversity and foreign cultures of other families Traditional American values,holidays and traditions are being forbidden from being practiced. There's no more assimilating to our culture we have to change our culture to accommodate new immigrants and the new global citizen.Â
 @graingerÂ
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don't worry, I am sure these are the same people who think a christmas tree is "politically incorrect"
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Like a christmas tree has anything to do with Jesus anyway.