Elephants Wearing Masks

It is interesting what you overhear when you are in school all day long. In our school, every cultural American holiday celebration that could have had a religious origin is treated like Voldemort.

This week was no exception.

From the time the girls started attending Islamic school 4 years ago, the girls have been told by their friends and a few teachers that celebrating (insert the name here) is Haraam! The same holds true for Halloween. Of Course.

I have adopted this response to when the ladies come home with this, or some other mandate from school that doesn’t jive with me. “Other families have different rules and customs than we do. In our family, we (celebrate, do, bake, or follow these traditions.) They don’t have to do what we do, and its okay. We don’t have to do what they do and that is okay.”

But yesterday, when the big orange and black elephant was in the room, I heard different whispers amongst the students and teachers. The conversation yesterday wasn’t ‘Halloween is Haraam!’ It was, no, we don’t celebrate Halloween, but we dress up and go out trick or treating. Or, no, I don’t go out trick or treating, but I do get to dress up, pass out candy, do Halloween crafts and eat candy.

There were more than a few teachers wearing shades of orange and black, and one even offered costume suggestions when I was discussing Kate’s costume with my co-teacher.

This morning as we were gathered around the desk sharing pictures of our short people dressed up and grinning from one ear to another, I wondered how much of what I have come to believe about them is just the face they put on when they are here. Just like me.