I believe...

I believe that if high school teachers do their job, and high school students do their job, then the students can succeed in all academic things, even the ones they find difficult.

I believe that high school students should be held accountable for their own decisions and the consequences thereof.

I believe that if high school students are given too many opportunities to eliminate the effects of their mistakes, they will never learn to avoid them.

I believe that a child of any age living in poverty does not have an equal opportunity to succeed because s/he has more important things going on in their daily life than school work, such as finding enough food to eat.

I believe that students who are the primary caregivers to their siblings when they get home do not have an equal opportunity to succeed.

I believe that students who have no choice but to work after-school jobs to keep their families financially sound do not have an equal opportunity to succeed.

I believe that students who go home to an empty house, who do not see their parents very often for whatever reason, do not have an equal opportunity to succeed.

I believe that if given an equal opportunity, every student can have a successful academic career.

I believe that every school should have the same resources to use per student.

Let's talk about this upcoming holiday, the one in December, shall we?

What do we want to call it?  Here in the United States, most folks call it Christmas,the obvious reference being to a mass to celebrate the birth of the Christian god Jesus.  I'm not going to rehash all the arguments about his birth really NOT happening on this date, just check out the evidence presented here, here, here and then there are these folks who still think he was born on the 25th of December.

In my own still-developing beliefs, I call it Yule.  I like to think that my ancestors did some partying and celebrated the solstice that occurs at the end of December (the 22nd this year).  It seems there is some scholarly evidence for merrymaking in many different cultures during this time of the year (see here if you can stand Wikipedia, here if you can't, or just use your favorite search engine).  The ancient ancestors to which I refer come from our agricultural time, not the hunter-gatherer phase.  The lit-up part of the day getting longer was something they needed to happen, so the day on which it started, the day the trend of longer nights reversed, was a big one.  Also, being farmers, there was not a whole lot going on outside of the home/barnyard during that time, so yeah, why not a big party?

The Jews have Hanukkah, a very important celebration for them that, as far as I can tell from quickly perusing the internet, has nothing to do with someone being born or the solstice.

Kwanzaa has been around since 1966, and another very brief read through of multiple internet resources (here and here to keep the list short) has informed what I am about to type.  Kwanzaa is important to some African-descent people, and not to others.  It's stated goals are ones of community building and heritage remembrance.  It is not a religious holiday, which means you can celebrate it and any of the other religions' holidays without being untrue to your faith.

Other December holidays include, but are not limited to,

Saint Nicholas Day (Christian)

Eid'ul-Adha (Muslim)

Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexican)

St. Lucia Day (Swedish)

Three Kings Day/Epiphany (Christian)

Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish)

Omisoka (Japanese)

Saturnalia (Pagan)

 (List shamelessly stolen, then modified to eliminate some glaring errors, from: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson246.shtml#sthash.wDKit8Dj.dpuf)

So, all these different December holidays, all with different names, all from different religious/cultural sources.  Is it any wonder those trying to be inclusive say "Happy Holidays" during this busy, dark, and cold(er) month?  If I know what holiday the person to whom I am speaking is going to celebrate, I'll wish them a happy one of those, just like I wish my students a good weekend every Friday.  But what about those whose personal lives are not known to me?  The person I just bumped into accidentally, the person holding the door for me, the random person with whom I have struck up a conversation about some random just-shared experience?  Not that I am a conversationalist, but I have learned to be polite enough to talk to strangers in some situations.  And if one of those polite conversations happens in December, what should I say to them?  How can I not offend them?

Oh, wait, there it is.  How could saying something positive to someone 'offend' them?  Saying 'Merry Christmas' to a non-Christian is not rude, it is just ignorant.  If I got all worked up over ignorance, I could not be a teacher, where our job is to confront ignorance and beat it back into submission on a daily basis (Monday through Friday, 36 weeks or so each year).  Of course, I have not yet been told 'Happy Hanukkah' by anyone. I think that is because Jewish people don't assume I am Jewish.  No one has told me 'Happy Kwanzaa' yet either, though it would not necessarily be wrong to do so.  Merry Yule has been said to me, but those folks know I am Pagan.  Hmm, I think I have found the solution to the holiday butt-hurt!

Look, it is simple.  If you know what holiday the other person to whom you are speaking will celebrate, just wish them a happy one of those.  If not, just say 'Happy Holidays' to them.  If they get offended, it's their own fault for being self-centered enough to think you should know their holiday.  If they wish you a Happy something-you-don't-celebrate, just smile and tell them to have a Happy Holiday, or if you are feeling snarky, a Happy what-you-do-celebrate.  Again, if they get offended, they can suck it up.  

So, here is yet another blog from me.  I hope you have enjoyed it.  Leave comments of they are constructive, I'll delete them if they are destructive, and let me know what you think.  If you think I can improve my presentation, let me know that as well...till new to this bloggy thingy.

Have a Cool Yule!  ;)