Question

How to write formal letter of summer vacation of 10th class to principal

Answer 1

Dear Principal,

My daughter, Cal, who is in 8th grade mentioned to me that the dance tomorrow night has an Hawaiian Luau theme and that there is a reduced entry fee incentive to wear a costume.  Without knowing more than that, I feel compelled to write to find out more and with some concerns that this raises for me. 

I believe that, as a nation, we do a rather inadequate job learning about indigenous/native cultures, so when the exposure to one of those cultures is less an opportunity for learning and more about adapting it for our entertainment, I believe as educators we send a wrong message.  The harm of one small dance organized by students who may mean no harm on its own arguably is negligible -- but when it is part of a pattern of a society's cumulative disregard for inclusion, I find it more problematic, and therein lie my concerns.  Since [school name] has diversity as one of its guiding principles (indeed one of the reasons we chose to have our daughter attend,) I hope that you will share my concerns.

I am hoping that if the dance does indeed have the theme, that it might be followed with a school-wide initiative to know more about native Hawaiian cultures that involves a more comprehensive look.  I am happy to help in that endeavor and offer these thoughts with a generous spirit.

Sincerely,

Cal’s Mom