A Connecticut school has apologized to parents after initially announcing a decision to replace Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with “Important Grownups Day.”
Glenville School, an elementary school in the Greenwich Public School system, drew criticism earlier this week after school officials sent a message to second-grade parents about the switch.
After the backlash, school officials said they would revert to the current formulations used by the school: “Mother’s or other important person day” and “Father’s or other important person day.”
Here is the apology that the school issued to parents through the educational application Smore on Thursday, May 5:
Dear Families:
It has come to our attention that our attempt to be more inclusive of our diverse community of families may have come across as being disrespectful to some. We apologize for any negative feelings that yesterday’s [message] may have brought up.
Moving forward, we will go back to celebrating “Mother’s or other important person day” and “Father’s or other important person day.”
As stated in yesterday’s [message], if you have any questions or concerns about this, please reach out directly to your child’s classroom teacher.
The contemplated “Important Grownups Day” was intended only for second grade at Glenville School. It did not include other grades at the school or other schools in the town.
Glenville School officials had never set a date for when Important Grownups Day was to take place.
The initial message that went out to parents via Smore on Wednesday, May 4 told them that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day no longer reflected the values of the district.
Here is what it said:
Dear 2nd Grade Families,
In keeping with the spirit of celebrating our diverse community of learners, we have decided to shift our thinking about Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. These holidays no longer serve who we are, and rather than finding a way to fit ourselves into their boxes, we have decided to make a change.
Beginning this year, the second grade students will be celebrating “Important Grownups Day” in between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. They will be provided with school time to make something special for any/all of the grownups they believe are important in their lives. We will, of course, discuss some of the grownups they may want to choose.
If you have any questions or concerns about this shift, please email your child’s classroom teacher directly.
Thank you in advance for your understanding of this.
Greenwich, Connecticut is the southwestern most town in the state. It borders New York state and has a coastline on Long Island Sound. It is situated in Fairfield County. More than 60,000 people live in the town. It is part of the New York City metropolitan area.
Glenville School is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade public school in Greenwich that serves about 400 students.
A spokesman for Greenwich Public Schools contacted by NewBostonPost on Thursday, May 5 did not offer comment.
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