PC gone wild, how can the stupid teach?

[sammyg2]

Massachusetts principal replaces 'St. Patrick's Day' with 'O'Green Day'

Published March 15, 2012

A Massachusetts school principal is renaming "St. Patrick's Day" with "O'Green Day" in an effort to be "inclusive and diverse," while some parents are blasting the decision as "stupid" and illogical.

Lisa Curtin, principal of the Soule Road School in Wilbraham, Mass., decided to change the name to ease discomfort that some students might have in celebrating St. Patrick's Day or Valentine's Day -- which last month was renamed to "Caring and Kindness Day," according to parents with children in the school.

The St. Patrick's Day holiday falls on a Saturday this year, but students at the elementary school will still be encouraged to wear green during class on Friday and eat green vegetables in the cafeteria.

"I think it's ridiculous," said Dina LaMotte, whose daughter is a fifth-grader at the school. "What's next, birthdays?"

"It should be either in or out," added Wilbraham resident Theresa Finnegan. "They're still celebrating it by calling it a different name, which makes no sense to me. It's totally illogical.

"Those two holidays are holidays that have become over the years very secular in nature," she said.

Curtin referred all media inquiries to Wilbraham Schools Superintendent Martin O'Shea, who was not immediately available for comment Thursday.

LaMotte and others say Curtin's heart is in the right place, but claim her ruling is "political correctness gone too far."

"It's really stupid," said Janet Carlyle, whose three children attended the school.

"Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day," Carlyle told FoxNews.com. "It's not a holiday that's generally associated with a religion."

What's worse, Carlyle called the renaming of the holiday insulting and "unfair" to Irish Catholic students for whom the holiday might have special meaning.

"I would have been really annoyed if my kids were still in the school," added Carlyle, who is not Catholic but said she celebrates the holiday "like most normal people do" by eating green mash potatoes.

Read more: Massachusetts Principal Replaces 'St. Patrick's Day' With 'O'Green Day' | Fox News

[stomachmonkey]

The woman's an idiot.

[Neilk]

My 5 year old daughter prefers to call St Patrick's Day, Mr Leprechaun Day... Why not use that, except if it is offensive to little people...

[esample]

Gee, I wonder why Wilbraham Schools Superintendent Martin O'Shea was unavailable for comment? (would have used green font, but, you know)

[GH85Carrera]

I have no problem with St. Patricks day. I have always thought is was just a stupid excuse to get drunk on green beer. I have never ever had a green beer, never will.

[Jim Richards]

Stupid. Was this an unforced error on the part of the principal, or was this a response to parental whining?

[KaptKaos]

Originally Posted by Neilk

My 5 year old daughter prefers to call St Patrick's Day, Mr Leprechaun Day... Why not use that, except if it is offensive to little people...

Everything is offensive to someone.

[lane912]

PC policy is peaking can it get any more absurd?
this principal will most likely get rid of winners and looses in athletics and the competition for that matter- "everyone gets a turn to shoot a basket" and everyone gets a trophy for "participating"

life is hard and it hurts sometimes- GTFOI

[vash]

i think the band GREEN DAY approves.

[widgeon13]

Since my middle name is Patrick, I think it's stupid and funny at the same time.

St Patrick must be rolling over in his grave.

I grew up in Wilbraham, MA. Too bad I still don't live there, she'd have a flaming bag of dog poop on her front step.

Yes Ms. Curtin, you are an idiot.

[teenerted1]

Originally Posted by vash

i think the band GREEN DAY approves.

their copywrite lawyer might have a problem with it.

[slakjaw]

Yes but is she hawt?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

If I moved to, say, Pakistan or Saudi Arabia or Dubai, d'ya think I'd have a problem with people celebrating Ramadan? No. Because its part of the culture of those who settled that area and live there now. So it is with celebrating Christian-influenced holidays in this country. It isn't a government sanction of Christianity to acknowledge celebration of Christmas, (Saint) Valentine's Day or Saint Patrick's Day. It's a simple acknowledgement that those holidays played a role in shaping our culture into what it is today because they were important to some groups,still are to some - religious influence DID play a pivotal role in shaping our nation and culture, much as the P.C. liberal wack-job types (many of whom are in academia/education) want to write that out of history. It must really piss them off to have to acknowledge that religion and the right to celebrate it freely was the very reason the Pilgrims came here almost 400 years ago.

Lordy why can't these perpetually-offended, P.C. hand-wringing ninnies not understand this very basic distinction. CA (extremely P.C.) has many cities and towns named "San" this or "Santa" that. Offensive? Religious? Hardly. Merely an acknowledgement that the Spanish missions that settled those areas originally were often named after religious figures, that (Christian) religious beliefs meant a lot to those people and but for those beliefs, they might not have ever been settled at all.

Some people just need to lighten up. A lot.

[DanielDudley]

Young girl in Dublin wants her school blown up - YouTube

[john70t]

How 'bout "Saint Patrick-saint warrior and killer of snakes(hippy Druids)".

[Superman]

Originally Posted by esample

Gee, I wonder why Wilbraham Schools Superintendent Martin O'Shea was unavailable for comment? (would have used green font, but, you know)

I saw that too. And this one:

"It should be either in or out," added Wilbraham resident Theresa Finnegan. "They're still celebrating it by calling it a different name, which makes no sense to me. It's totally illogical.

[widgeon13]

I graduated from the Wilbraham school system. The name of the HS is Minnechaug, I think from a local indian tribe. You would think they would change that before going after St Patrick's Day.

I also had to delay getting my diploma for ten days, do a week of civic service in the area and couldn't attend my prom or class banquet because we (nine of us) got caught participating in a senior class prank.

I've been scared for life. It's one of those burdens you have to carry and oh the guilt.

[Heel n Toe]

You mean there's no green/enviromental agenda?

[ossiblue]

Contrary to Sammy's thread title, the story shows the stupid do not teach (in this case). The stupid are made principals.

[David McLaughlin]

What you all don't realize is that this sort of thing happens all the time in this state.