Costume contest at Middle School - question

[WeLoveLilo05]

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.

I agree, I think of Kit Kitteridge lol. DD has the movie and they go to the hobo camp, very interesting part of our history.

But really I think they are over reacting!

And I am sure costumes in which girls were wearing clothes that were a bit revealing were OK, b/c I swear some of the Tween type of costumes out there are not very modest and I don't know what I am going to do when DD reaches that age.

I was a baby for 2 years, I got to be warm, comfy and carry around a bottle while trick or treating lol

 

[woodkins]

Overreaction. In that interpretation by saying that dressing up as a certain thing would possibly make a group uncomfortable you would have to ban almost every other costume that portrays a human character.You can't have people dressing as doctors & nurses (someone may have had a bad medical experience & they would have flashbacks), soldiers (ptsd-not acceptable for those against war), witches (offensive to wicans), priests (catholic molestation scandal), vampires (against those who like/don't like twilight), no disney princesses (they promote gender stereotypes), Gypsies, Rock Starts, .....the list goes on and on. Not everything is a political statement, sometimes it is just kids having fun without any hidden agenda or ulterior motives.

 

[MissyDVC]

Overreaction IMHO

 

[si-am]

I think it's definitely an overreaction.

But, think of it this way: a hobo, like someone said, is one of those super easy cotumes you throw together when you can't think of anything else (kind of like a gypsy, which I was several times in the past and is also probably offensive. ) So they probably wouldn't win the contest with that anyway.

 

[kydisneyfans]

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

ita.

 

[phorsenuf]

Overreaction. In that interpretation by saying that dressing up as a certain thing would possibly make a group uncomfortable you would have to ban almost every other costume that portrays a human character.You can't have people dressing as doctors & nurses (someone may have had a bad medical experience & they would have flashbacks), soldiers (ptsd-not acceptable for those against war), witches (offensive to wicans), priests (catholic molestation scandal), vampires (against those who like/don't like twilight), no disney princesses (they promote gender stereotypes), Gypsies, Rock Starts, .....the list goes on and on. Not everything is a political statement, sometimes it is just kids having fun without any hidden agenda or ulterior motives.

 

[padams]

I have neighbors who don't celebrate Halloween because they are Christian. Should we ban Halloween entirely because it offends my Christian neighbors?

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

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

Bolding mine... They only said they couldn't join the competition. I vote your girls still wear the costumes just to wear them, and not to compete in the contest.

 

[pyrxtc]

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.

Lots of teens were Hobo's and hookers. Nobody ever got called out on it.

 

[georgina]

I have neighbors who don't celebrate Halloween because they are Christian. Should we ban Halloween entirely because it offends my Christian neighbors?

I don't see the need to have Halloween parties at school, and certainly by middle school they shouldn't be wearing costumes to school.

 

[Ceila]

I don't see the need to have Halloween parties at school, and certainly by middle school they shouldn't be wearing costumes to school.

I remember wearing costumes in high school, and yet somehow we all still managed to become responsible members of society.

 

[Magpie]

I remember wearing costumes in high school, and yet somehow we all still managed to become responsible members of society.

My daughter is in high school.. She and her best friend have been plotting what they'll dress up as (so far I've heard "female Sherlock Holmes"... ).

 

[mamacatnv]

I don't see the need to have Halloween parties at school, and certainly by middle school they shouldn't be wearing costumes to school.

You forgot to add IN YOUR OPINION and off topic for that matter. Not what the discussion was about

 

[MELSMICE]

Overreacting!

 

[allison443]

My dd's high school allows them to wear costumes to school on Halloween, they serve them breakfast and give out prizes for best costumes. The rules are set forth in advance, they include nothing of an ethnic nature, no cross dressing, no french maids (I always thought it was funny they singled out the french maids, lol), nothing inappropriate. This isn't a public school so the students normally wear uniforms, and believe me they know what "inappropriate" means to the administration.
The kids usually get very creative, there are a lot of group costumes, it's fun and a nice break for them.

 

[EMom]

I don't see the need to have Halloween parties at school, and certainly by middle school they shouldn't be wearing costumes to school.

Exhibit A: Sucking the joy out of school.

All our kids get for Halloween is a special cookie at lunch. I volunteered to be the cookie mom so I could at least bring some primo cookies.

 

[ratherbeatdisney]

a HOBO is not another word for Homeless person, they are 2 different things. A hobo is a person who has purposely decided to live as a vagabond and hop trains. They usually CHOSE that lifestyle, its not the same as a person losing everything and being on the streets. Im so sick of all the PC junk we have to put up with these days. i say dress them as Hobos and tell the school to get over it.

 

[snowy76]

Send the school this:

http://www.hobo.com/what_is_a_hobo.htm

I'm pretty sure this isn't a convention for the homeless!

 

[whatsup]

Hobo is a homeless person. Just back in the old days we called them hobos, bums, vagrants etc.. BELIEVE ME! There would be a parent complain to the school on this issue! Halloween used to be fun in schools BUT through the years parents that don't like the holiday complained and now it is what it is. Most schools dress up BUT it has to be a character from a book.
The school is just protecting themselves. How sad that WE the parents have created these situations! And this goes for ALL holidays. Christmas--can't have a Santa Claus, no tree etc.. ONLY WINTER like snowmen and snowflakes might offend someone, somewhere,sometime, someday. Have to be ready!

 

[Acklander]

a HOBO is not another word for Homeless person, they are 2 different things.

But, as was explained earlier in the thread, Hobo has emerged as a word for the homeless - even though we don't think of it that way, the kids at school do.
Here the kids are only allowed to dress as a character out of a book on halloween. That's tough because now we have to get one costume for school, and a different costume for what DS really wants to be for halloween.