Canadian Family Literacy Day is a poor substitute for candy and hearts on Valentine’s Day, according to some parents at Free Horizon Montessori in Golden.
The charter school skipped more traditional celebrations this week for preschool and kindergarten students, according to a story first reported Wednesday by 7News.
Instead, Free Horizon urged children to ask someone they love to read a book or bring their parent to class as part of a belated Canadian National Family Literacy Day celebration, an 11-year-old holiday that took place Jan. 27.
7News reported that a newsletter sent to parents explained, “The teachers wanted to focus on love, not the commercial aspect of handing out Valentines. This also helps us to be more inclusive to students who do not celebrate the holidays as the majority of us do.”
The parent who spoke in the story did not immediately return a telephone call but told the station it was political correctness taken too far.
School spokeswoman Kresta Vuolo said about four parents of the 120 children had complained, but since 7News first reported the controversy, many more parents had called or stopped by the school to express support for the decision.
She said the decision was not a permanent change but something that’s decided on a year-to-year basis for holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Halloween.
Older students were allowed to take part in more traditional Valentine’s Day events at the school.
Vuolo said the school allowed teachers to decide how to celebrate certain holidays, and teachers in the four classes of preschool and kindergarten wanted to try something new this year.
“Some of the teachers were concerned about making valentines because, frankly, some 3-year-olds have a hard time writing their names,” she said.
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
