Holidays on school premises have been an issue that has gained
attention for years, and it shows no sign of slowing down. While the debate on acknowledging
Easter and Christmas makes sense to most, there is a lot of confusion about why
Halloween is getting banned more and more often at schools across the country.
Today we’re diving into the debate about Halloween in schools.
1.
Religion –
One of the big points that comes up during this debate is the issue of
religion. No one wants to disrespect people’s religion, and Halloween can
incense some parents from different religious backgrounds. Some people believe
Halloween is directly related with the devil. Critics argue that Halloween
encourages evil. But Halloween is not a religious celebration. It began as a
Celtic event, as a day when the living could mingle with the dead. Really,
Halloween is a mix of very old religious traditions, folklore, and secular
traditions. On the whole, in modern society Halloween is not a holiday that celebrates
a particular religion or denounces one. Much like Christmas parties in the
classroom, you may want to play it safe by naming Halloween celebrations as
fall ones, but this is more an issue of being politically correct versus
breaking rules regarding religion in school.
2.
Distraction
– Some make the argument that celebrating Halloween is too big of a
distraction in the classroom. Class parties take time away from instruction
time, and costumes keep students distracted during the day. This argument is
that school is for education, not for play. If this is the case, then all
holiday events should be banned from school. At the same time, this seems
unreasonable. Something else that teachers think about is their students who
come from poverty, who may not get a chance to celebrate different occasions
throughout the year. Many classrooms choose to dedicate only a small amount of
time to holiday celebrations so they do not lose much instruction time.
3.
Inappropriate
Costumes – There are many Halloween stores out there, offering a huge
variety of costumes. This means that students are showing up in costumes that
are too violent, disturbing, and racist. Certain costumes may scare certain
students, while costumes covered in fake blood are simply inappropriate for a
classroom environment. Teachers and schools can implement costume requirements,
such as banning certain costumes, or they may make their classroom themed. With
costume policing however, it can just be easier to ban them altogether.
4.
Health – Classroom
parties also bring up health concerns. This is not exclusive to Halloween
celebrations, but as Halloween is associated with candy and other treats, a
Halloween party is more likely to have unhealthy snacks than other. Filling
kids with tons of sugary, fattening foods is becoming less and less popular.
Luckily there are plenty of fun, healthy treats that can be made, but it takes
some extra coordination.
5.
Safety –
Amid the growing terrorism and school shooting fears, it is understandable that
schools are uneasy about allowing children inside in costumes. Masks can
disguise a student’s identity, and props can be used as weapons. So how does
one address this particular issue? Again, costume restrictions are very
important. Not allowing props or masks is an easy way to deal with this. If you
bring in volunteers to help with the festivities, do a thorough background
check.
So, bottom line? Choosing to
celebrate or not celebrate Halloween at your school is ultimately up to the
individual school or classroom. Personally, we believe that as long as the
celebration is handled in an appropriate way that there is no reason why you
can’t celebrate Halloween in some capacity in the classroom.
