In today’s age of hypersensitivity, people have become so afraid to offend anybody — including themselves! At least, that’s what happened at the St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Ontario, Canada. Just recently, the school forbade a student from dressing up as a mariachi for Halloween. Why? Because, apparently, it would be offensive to Hispanics — notwithstanding the fact that the student was himself Hispanic.
The school requested students to ask for approval for their Halloween costumes. As per the school’s request, ninth grader Joshua Sewerynek tweeted the school, asking for approval for his mariachi costume. Joshua didn’t want to dress up as a mariachi to mock Hispanics; rather, he wanted to represent his own culture.
To Joshua’s surprise, the school tweeted: “Sorry, that costume will not be approved as it is very offensive. Please let your friends know.”
Joshua tweeted the school back, stating he’s Colombian. His entire costume, excluding the guitar, was from Colombia.
The school strikes back
“Although mariachi didn’t begin in Colombia, it has become a huge part of their culture,” Joshua told sources. “Every year my grandfather still hires a mariachi band to play for his birthday, because he had such fond memories of them when he was back in Bogotá.”
The school fired back at Joshua, tweeting that a culture is not a costume. “While you may not find it offensive, others may,” read the school’s account.
Joshua’s remarks prompted the school to post a tweet notifying students that costumes that included face paint and weapons, or were culturally offensive, would not be approved. In addition, the school decided to post another tweet encouraging students to keep cultural appropriation in mind when choosing a Halloween costume.
The school was eventually caught in a contradiction. First, they rejected Joshua’s costume on the grounds that it was culturally offensive. Once Joshua explained why the costume wasn’t offensive, the school backpedaled by stating, “While it may not offend others, it is still our school’s job to limit this kind of behavior.”
What kind of behavior is the school trying to limit? Freedom of expression, perhaps? Laughter really is the best medicine. Have we really gotten to a point where we’ve become too afraid to laugh at ourselves? Let the kids have some fun on Halloween for Pete’s sake!
A prohibition on fun
For approximately 364 days a year, politically correct liberals are allowed to be hypersensitive about everything. Halloween is the one time of the year where going too far isn’t just permitted, but celebrated. The whole point of Halloween is to be politically incorrect. A point the school, let alone the bulk of society, has long forgotten.
And how on Earth is a mariachi costume offensive, when mariachis themselves are wearing a costume?
Sewerynek responded lightheartedly by tweeting, “While it may not offend others, it is still our school’s job to limit kids having fun.”
In response, the school told Sewerynek to feel free not to participate in the Halloween fun if he could not accept the rules.
Once another person called into question the school’s decision, the school replied “This costume perpetuates that culture can be used as a costume, which is disrespectful and offensive. Please see Mrs. Campbellor or Ms. Farrugia if you disagree or do not understand.”
Campbell and Farrugia were in charge of the student council and student council social functions committee.
“The social justice movement has gone too far when kids can’t even represent their own culture,” Joshua told sources. He says he still plans to go to school as mariachi band with his friends.
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