Should Halloween Be Banned In School

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.