Costume contest at Middle School - question

[karenos]

My DD (11) and her friend entered a Halloween costume contest at their Middle School. They both planned on dressing up as hobos. They were told that they could not enter the competition because it was demeaning to homeless people and that someone at the school might be insulted because might have a relative who is homeless.

To be honest I never thought anything of it when the girls stated they wanted to be hobos. They both put together their costumes and I was just happy I didn't have to buy one this year!! I tend to think the administration might be overreacting, but in all honesty, I understand their perspective.

Thoughts...

karenos

 

[princesspiglet]

Absolutely ridiculous! A "hobo" is not the same thing as a homeless person. My goodness, I was a hobo for 2 years when I was a kid. This being pc crap is getting really out of hand.

 

[wvjules]

My DD (11) and her friend entered a Halloween costume contest at their Middle School. They both planned on dressing up as hobos. They were told that they could not enter the competition because it was demeaning to homeless people and that someone at the school might be insulted because might have a relative who is homeless.

To be honest I never thought anything of it when the girls stated they wanted to be hobos. They both put together their costumes and I was just happy I didn't have to buy one this year!! I tend to think the administration might be overreacting, but in all honesty, I understand their perspective.

Thoughts...

karenos

They are overreacting and I don't understand their perspective at all. That's just crazy.

 

[beck0321]

Sorry, I think that's ridiculous as well. When I think hobo, I think of raggedy clothes with plaid patches, the kerchief tied to a stick kind of thing...not of HOMELESS people.

Also, I do not understand their perspective because I would have never though of that to begin with.

 

[ElizK]

What a crock. Wonder what would have happened if they'd planned to dress as Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

 

[minkydog]

Hmmm, I didn't realize that a hobo costume is now the national uniform for the homeless I think your administrators need to stop trying to be so PC. This is total overreaction. I'd much rather see two pre-teen girls dressed up as hoboes than the other costumes I see available--Barbie Ho, Hooker Ladybug, Sexy Witch, and French Kissing Maid.

 

[missypie]

Look at it this way - if the school doesn't want them to dress as hoboes, they certainly won't win the contest.

I've personally always hated the hobo costume.."hey, won't it be funny to pretend to be poor?"

 

[Magpie]

I think the school admin *may* be over-reacting...

Or the kids may just be bumping into a generalized rule about "No costumes demeaning to other groups of people." Such as, for instance, hillbillies or "red Indians" or certain "rapper" costumes (especially anything involving blackface!).

Of course, when we were kids the hobo costume was what you did when you couldn't be bothered to put together a "real" Halloween costume - or you were too old/too cool for Halloween, but you still wanted to scam candy off the grownups. The little kids wore costumes. Us teens? We dressed as hobos

But just because a costume is traditional, and even has sentimental value for some of us, doesn't mean it'll be acceptable forever.

 

[lovetoscrap]

The word "hobo" seems to have a resurrection in the last few years. My DD14 and her friends use it and I have heard it on some of the shows they watch, and I just verified with her that the current use of it is to mean "homeless person". They are not using it to refer to the old fashioned Hobo we grew up with.

I don't know what your kids costumes were going to be, but it is very likely that the school is interpreting their theme with this current use of the word.

I will leave the debate as to if the school is right or wrong to everyone else!

 

[Magpie]

The word "hobo" seems to have a resurrection in the last few years. My DD14 and her friends use it and I have heard it on some of the shows they watch, and I just verified with her that the current use of it is to mean "homeless person". They are not using it to refer to the old fashioned Hobo we grew up with.

I don't know what your kids costumes were going to be, but it is very likely that the school is interpreting their theme with this current use of the word.

I will leave the debate as to if the school is right or wrong to everyone else!

Oh... good point! I just asked my 12 and 14 year olds what "hobo" means. My son paused and said, "An offensive term for a homeless person?" I turned to my daughter and she said, "Um, yeah. That's pretty much what I was going to say."

I wonder what other people's kids think the term means?

 

[Ceila]

The iCarley show uses the term hobo, and I think that the connotation there is more along the lines of homeless or poor. If that's what the school sees as the students' (general students, not your DD) interpretation, then I can kind of see where they are coming from. I still think they're overreacting, though, since I would assume that your DD and her friend were going for the more old-fashioned version of hobo.

 

[mamacatnv]

I give up........really?!?
My daughter wants to be a Cereal Killer......guess the hungry might be offended at the waste. Gheesh, we really do need to get over ourselves

 

[tchrrx]

Arrr...Me uncle was a pirate, so I hope no one plans on dressing as one.



Silly, how PC everything is getting.

 

[SpecialK]

Middle schoolers recognize that hobo is used to mean homeless. You may have homeless kids in your school. In our state, if a family states that they're homeless, the school has to register them no questions asked. My children's elementary school was the designated school for a shelter that housed victims of domestic abuse and their children. It's a sensitive issue.

 

[karenos]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I sincerely didn't think a hobo was offensive, but I now understand that is not how all perceive the term.

karenos

 

[Pembo]

We have a friend who's uncle, that just died, was a real hobo. He used to jump the trains as a teen.

My son was a "hobo" a few years ago. I can see why the school may have said no but I guess it would depend on the costume. If you had the stick and kerchief...

 

[phorsenuf]

We have a friend who's uncle, that just died, was a real hobo. He used to jump the trains as a teen.

My son was a "hobo" a few years ago. I can see why the school may have said no but I guess it would depend on the costume. If you had the stick and kerchief...

I'm sure the stick wouldn't be allowed as it could be misconstrued as a weapon.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

By the same logic, wouldn't it be insulting to witches if children dress up as those that are?

I think the admin went tooooo far on this one.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

The iCarley show uses the term hobo, and I think that the connotation there is more along the lines of homeless or poor.

That is exactly what I was going to say. I couldn't believe my ears the first time I overheard it on the TV. They use that term over and over, and I think they were trying to avoid PC backlash by using hobo over homeless guy.

 

[clh2]

I bet if we saw most costumes we could find ways to make them offensive to someone...