Is Valentine’s Day Politically Incorrect?

Valentine’s Day is dead. At least it is at Bruce Vento Elementary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Say it ain’t so! Well, Principal Scott Masini says it is. A letter was sent home to parents announcing that the school will no longer celebrate Valentine’s Day in order to be more culturally inclusive. And it’s not just Valentine’s Day. Halloween, Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays are getting the boot too.

“I have come to the difficult decision to discontinue the celebration of the dominant holidays until we can come to a better understanding of how the dominant view will suppress someone else’s view,” Vento said in the letter. He also stated that he wanted to avoid “encroaching on the educational opportunities of others and threatening a culture of tolerance and respect for all.”

According to the school’s website, 63 percent of its student population identify as Asian-American, 24 percent as African-American, 10 percent as Hispanic-American and 4 percent as Caucasian. “Because Saint Paul Public Schools is a diverse district that is filled with families from around the world, we strive to respect all cultures and all students,” the letter goes on to say. “We recognize that not every student celebrates or participates in some or all holidays. We have a board policy that discourages programs and festivities that celebrate observances unless they are required by law.”

Minnesota joins a growing number of schools across the country who are eliminating traditional holiday celebrations in an effort to be more culturally sensitive.

I remember the good old days when you could throw parties and enjoy holidays at school without it becoming something bigger than it had to be.

Valentine’s Day was a chance to give your crush the “special” Valentine’s day card with the personal message and hoping he/she would get the hint. Wondering if you would get a special card or candy heart in return. I still remember sitting at home and deciding which particular card I wanted to give to my classmates. Now, I buy a bunch of cards for my daughter and she isn’t even allowed to put a name on the To: section. The teacher passes out a bunch of nameless cards so that everyone gets the same/random thing. I tell ya, schools are just sucking the life out of the childhood experience.

Of course, we need to be sensitive to different cultures and religious beliefs. But who’s being harmed by giving someone a Valentine’s Day card? Or even dressing up for Halloween?

As an alternative, how about allowing children to “opt-out?” If they don’t feel comfortable observing a holiday, don’t make them. Let them get to do an unrelated fun craft instead. Or find out if they have a different custom and allow them to share it with the class. But getting rid of every school holiday is a little much in my opinion.

Call me crazy, but I think Valentine’s Day is just a silly, harmless, over-commercialized holiday just like the rest of them. But it’s a fun day for the kids, so let it be. Am I just an old fogey, set in my ways? Should Valentine’s Day be banned? What do you think?