[Jennifer]

What do you do when you have a Jehova's Witness in the room and your 3 week social studies curriculum unit revolves around Thanksgiving? I say it is history and therefore should be taught, but I know Jehova's Witness followers do not celebrate.

She did alternate writing assignments when we wrote about Halloween, but since that was not part of curriculum I didn't feel the need for her to participate. I will keep her out of Christmas stuff- also not part of curriculum. Thanksgiving is expected to be taught though...

Just wondering- what have you done in this situation?

Thanks!

[imafive]

The unit should be Pilgrims and Native Americans, early colonization, using the environment, ......

[teachnkids]

I totally agree with imafive. If you decide to have a feast to replicate the ones the pilgrims had then maybe she could opt out of that.

[maryteach]

nor discriminate against anyone's religion. Practicing her religion is her and her parents' problem, not yours. Why on earth would anyone change the curriculum for one student?! Or, more correctly, since you weren't really talking about changing the curriculum, why would you put yourself way out like this to help a student practice her religion? That's not the place of a public schoolteacher. Respecting someone's religion is one thing. Going out of your way to accommodate the practice of that religion is entirely another.

Also--teaching about Thanksgiving is not the same thing as celebrating Thanksgiving, anyway. If JW parents are going to send their kids to public school, then they, not you, need to prepare for these things. They must see this stuff coming, after all. The year is full of holidays and (gasp!) elections and stuff like that. Do you say the pledge in your room every morning? JWs don't say the pledge. Would you stop that practice for one kid? Of course you wouldn't. Neither should you worry about your Thanksgiving unit.

[Sam5]

I teach fifth grade and social studies curriculum is history. I teach the real story behind the the Native Americans, and the Pilgrims. My Jehova Witness students have always stayed in the room for the unit as it was history. They just didn't participate in any type of "celebration."The same with elections - the kids always learned about government and elections - they just didn't participate in any mock elections.