Crazy Californians Fight Over Paper Hats

From the Los Angeles Times:

Protesters descended Tuesday on Condit Elementary School in Claremont, tersely arguing over the construction-paper pilgrim and Native American costumes worn by kindergartners at a decades-old Thanksgiving tradition. Police were called to the school when tensions rose.

Officers also were monitoring Claremont Unified Supt. David Cash's home after he received hate mail and told police that he feared for his safety.

So what gives?

For four decades, children at Condit and Mountain View elementary schools have taken annual turns dressing up and visiting each other to share a Thanksgiving feast. Controversy erupted after district officials last week decided to eliminate the Native American and pilgrim costumes from this year's event after some parents complained that they were demeaning and stereotypical. Other parents were infuriated by the district's modifications of the event, saying that administrators had bowed to political correctness.

 Now the children can learn another interesting historical lesson, the one about how, in the early 21st century, people were so bitterly and mindlessly divided over petty politics and cultural battles that they fought over construction paper costumes worn by children. What a thrilling era.