Over 700 Skidmore Students have signed a petition to eliminate Thanksgiving as a holiday that is recognized by the college. The letter that precedes the signatures, written by Ashley-Marie White ('16) cites a number of the atrocities that were carried out against the Native Americans at the time of the first Thanksgiving. "The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of the slaughter of many innocent natives. The happy day that we learned about as children was, as we all know, fictional. As a community, we cannot, in good conscience, continue to engage in a tradition with such barbaric roots. Although we cannot stop the nation from continuing to acknowledge this day as a national holiday, we can affect change here on this campus and cease perpetuating the myth of the "happy" first Thanksgiving."
On a list of demands, the students asked that no professors wish students a "happy Thanksgiving" and that all "friendsgivings" begin with the group of partying students "pouring one out" for fallen Native Americans. Finally, they asked that the time traditionally given off for the holiday be referred to as "Rightly Deserved Academic Break Week," as opposed to "Thanksgiving break," on the academic calendar.
Students are planning a protest on Case walkway at 9:00 pm on Monday. They ask that all members of the community come out and support their cause.
*Update: The administration responded readily to the letter and agreed completely with the students. They were prepared to eliminate the holiday from campus discussions and comply with most of the students' demands. However, after President Glotzbach sent an email informing students that, in a display of cultural sensitivity, there would no longer be time given off from school for the holiday, all 700 students decided that it wasn't a big deal. Ashley-Marie White was quoted saying, "Nevermind".