In celebrating the season, Halloween does come to mind for many. Your student’s classroom teacher will have more specifics on fall classroom celebrations. However, if costumes are a part of classroom activities around October 31st, I would like to remind everyone of how cultural appropriation in costumes can be harmful to other students.
What is cultural appropriation? Cultural appropriation is the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from marginalized cultures. Examples of cultural appropriation include, but are not limited to, unauthorized use of another culture’s dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc. (Papalo & DeWald, 2016).
What is cultural appropriation? Cultural appropriation is the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from marginalized cultures. Examples of cultural appropriation include, but are not limited to, unauthorized use of another culture’s dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc. (Papalo & DeWald, 2016).
- Please view My Culture Is NOT A Costume by Teen Vogue to see examples of how Halloween costumes have appropriated Indigenous and marginalized people.
- Another resource can be viewed at ParentsTogether, “How To Avoid Cultural Appropriation With Your Kids’ Halloween Costumes”.
Some other costume guidelines include:
This time of year is exciting for students and families. Thank you in advance for being sensitive to all members of our Harvest and Saline community, while honoring and affirming diverse cultures.
Emily
- November 8th – For 2nd and 3rd graders: 2024 Science Olympiad season kick–off meeting, 7-8pm in Heritage Cafeteria
- Tuesday, November 14th – PTA Pancake & PJ Event
- Thursday, November 16th – Parent-Teacher Conferences (evening)
- Friday, November 17th – 1/2 Day (12:10 dismissal; no lunch served)
- Monday, November 20th – Parent-Teacher Conferences (1/2 Day, 12:10 dismissal; no lunch served)
- Tuesday, November 21st – 1/2 Day, 12:10 dismissal, no lunch served
- Wednesday, November 22nd – Friday, November 24th – N0 School
- We hope everyone enjoyed our Fall Family Night! Thanks to Coleman’s Farm for showing us a great time! SAVE THE DATE to join us at our next event, Pancakes & PJs, at Harvest Elementary School Cafeteria on Tuesday, November 14th from 5:30-7:30pm!
- Sign up to help in the lunch room HERE (10/30 – 11/10)
- There are NO scheduled bus route cancellations the week of October 30th. The Transportation Department and many supporting staff from other departments are using all available drivers to cover bus routes. Due to our continued need for bus drivers, unplanned route cancellations due to illness/injury are still possible. The Ride 360 app will be used to communicate unplanned cancellations. Please make sure you have enabled notifications on the app. Instructions to install and use the Ride 360 app are available on the Saline Area Schools Transportation website.
Did you know that you can order many items through our program Display My Art? In the Everyday Folders last week, you will find an art project the students completed earlier in the year for a company called Display My Art. There is a great variety of things you can order with the artwork proudly displayed on them that will be shipped directly to your home. Directions for ordering are on the front of the brochure. If you have any questions, please email harvestoffice@salineschools.org
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