The Seattle School District wants teachers and parents to be a little more sensitive on Turkey Day.

It started three years ago, when some Native American parents voiced concerns about how Thanksgiving was being observed in Seattle schools.

"In terms of what they were seeing in some of the use of the feathers and those things, because those are of spiritual and ceremonial significance to us," says concerned parents D.D. Boutwell.

For the past three years, the Seattle School District has sent a letter to teachers and staff, telling them "Thanksgiving can be a difficult time for many native students."

This year's letter references a Native American historical website that
outlines what it calls myths about Thanksgiving.

Myth number 11 - Thanksgiving is a happy time.

The letter also asks teachers to understand that Thanksgiving is a "time of mourning" for many Indian people, and a "reminder of 500 years of betrayal."

Some parents say it's political correctness gone too far.

School officials are quick to say that this letter does not signify a first
shot fired in a war on Thanksgiving, and they say teachers are not being told to do anything different in the classroom.

Local Native American leaders add that not everyone in their community sees Thanksgiving negatively, but there is still plenty of hurt that can only be healed by a deeper understanding of our history.

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