There is great excitement in a kindergarten in St. Pölten: the popular lantern parade is being replaced by a moon and star festival. Many parents are shocked; they suspect there is a false sense of consideration behind the ‘Martin ban’.
“I’ll go with my lantern and my lantern.” For the little ones, the parade with the handmade lanterns around St. Martin’s Day on November 11 is a highlight. But at least they have done so at one kindergarten in St. Pölten to do without it. Because there will be no St. Martin’s Day there. Instead, a moon and star festival is celebrated at the end of the month, with the moon bear standing in for the saint and explaining the importance of sharing.
Many parents disagree with this. Some suspect that this is a false consideration for families with a migrant background. “We will certainly not be ashamed of our traditions. This decision by the kindergarten means that St. Martin is being overrun,” said MP Martin Antauer (FPÖ), who is also on the St. Pölten municipal council, angrily.
Out of respect for two year olds
The responsible department of the country does not want to hear about a debate about foreigners. On the contrary: “Many kindergartens are paying special attention to their festivals this year to ensure that two-year-olds are also catered for for the first time.” The moon bear would therefore convey the message of sharing, attention and friendship to the little ones at the festival more appropriate than Sint Maarten, but is also discussed in the toddler groups.
The design of the respective festivals is in the hands of the respective teachers. “When planning, they usually take age and group structure, spatial conditions and local and regional customs into account with great sensitivity,” it says. However, in general, people in the state assure that St. Martin’s Day celebrations, St. Nicholas celebrations and other annual celebrations are an integral part of basic educational work in all the more than 1,060 state kindergartens.
Fuss about the Sinterklaas ban
Last year, Nikolo was almost excluded from a kindergarten in Fels am Wagram in the Tulln district for a similar reason. The reasoning at the time was that because there were many children under the age of three in the house, they could be afraid of the ‘big man with a beard and a hat’. In addition, it is sometimes not clear to individual integration children which traumatic experiences they have already experienced and how they react to practices unknown to them. Here too, there were parental protests and eventually the mayor spoke out. Finally, Sinterklaas was allowed in…
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
