Should public schools ban Halloween parties?

No

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by Len Morse

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While public schools should respect all religious beliefs, banning Halloween parties is not necessary. Any non-lesson classroom time helps a child's social development, and Halloween parties are just as innocuous as any other supervised children's activity. It's not a religious service, it's a social gathering.

== Decision Makers ==

Ideally, a school's teachers and administration, as well as a student's parent(s) should agree not only on the child's education, but also on the child's social development. After all, most kids will spend about 12 years of their pre-college lives in school, and socialization is inevitable during that time. This may include mainstream holiday parties.

The idea of a Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) discussing the possibility of banning local school Halloween parties may sound silly, fruitless, or inevitable. However, as touchy as this subject may be to some, the reality is that the school makes the decision, since any potential activity will occur on school grounds.

Parents who want a say should be welcomed and encouraged to speak up responsibly, but school-wide decisions ultimately come from the administration. If a family's religious goals preclude Halloween-related activities, perhaps a one-day/year compromise can be reached via open minds and rational discussion.

== Socialization Equality ==

Many religions look down on Halloween, and parents who follow such religious views may forbid their kids from participating in Halloween parties. However, Halloween is celebrated in various forms all over the world, and is a mainstream holiday in the United States. Sooner or later, most children will encounter Halloween-related situations, so why not let them experience this small part of holiday socialization now?

It comes down to priorities: Have a child follow his/her family's chosen religious teachings, or allow him/her to be involved and feel included in a fun, secular, and safe holiday gathering. Both actions have good intentions, but parents must decide which is best for their child's long-term development. If religion trumps socialization every time, so be it, but that is still no reason to ban Halloween parties from the entire school.

== Party Participation ==

Food: Give each child a school-approved letter to take home, explaining the Halloween party idea. This way, parents can keep tabs on what candy and foods will be available, and can notify the school of any possible allergies or other food-related problems. This is also a good way to inform those parents who may not want their child to attend.

Costumes: Some parents either can't afford or don't allow costumes. People on tight budgets might ask friends, family, or co-workers for their ideas on successful homemade costumes. Folks who forbid Halloween costumes in their family based on their religion should, by all means, follow their beliefs, but should neither ask nor demand that the school ban Halloween parties. It's not fair to those who see no problem with the idea.

Enjoyment: If a child is personally uncomfortable with the idea of Halloween, or is easily frightened by masks or costumes, s/he doesn't have to participate. Certainly, no school or teacher wants to make a child upset.

Alternate Plans: Those parents who subscribe to any of the above reasons for keeping a child from a school Halloween party might try making other in-school plans for their child. Perhaps the teachers can let these children read or draw together in the school library or another undecorated room. If necessary, they should be supervised and then escorted back to classes when the parties are over. Making this a school-wide policy may reduce any feelings of exclusion, since it would pertain to all of the school's students, and would still allow the others to partake of the festivities.

== Halloween History ==

In public schools, kids most likely will not care about the origins of Halloween, just the costumes and the candy. Moreover, parents who truly know their Halloween history should not be skittish about a party.

In very basic terms, centuries ago, many folks believed that carving scary faces on hollowed-out, lighted gourds would help banish evil spirits. In other words, they were merely taking safety precautions based on the beliefs of their time. This concept of guarding against evil spirits is the exact opposite of today's perception of Halloween, and therefore the argument that Halloween is evil fails.

If only ghosts and gore come to mind when someone says "Halloween costume," please know that costume ideas have come a long way. Many are not made to be scary at all, but cute or funny instead. Also, lots of people create their own harmless outfits.

== Planning ==

Teachers have it tough, no doubt. They must frequently create lesson plans, carefully follow the administration's rules, tactfully communicate with parents, and gently deal with the children themselves. It's no wonder that some teachers balk at the thought of adding any extra items to their already full occupational schedules.

However, if the school administration allows it and the teacher can make time, s/he should plan a Halloween party outside of structured class time, so the students' concentration level does not get out of hand. If the teacher dreads the extra work of maintaining discipline in the face of his/her class anticipating a party, total secrecy is another option.

To further avoid curriculum interruptions, but also to keep the planning time to a minimum, teachers might opt to plan in groups, with the administration's consent. Ideally, this should lighten an individual teacher's potential planning load and help with idea brainstorming. This practice also pertains to any holiday, class birthday, or other school-approved social event.

== Conclusion ==

Separation of church and state comes into play: Since religion is not part of any curriculum, the school and its employees would logically have no say as to how children should react to a holiday that may have religious implications. Most schools allow students to follow their family's beliefs, as long as it does not impede the learning process.

The parents should decide whether the child would participate in any school-sanctioned activity. Banning a Halloween party that is meant to be a fun and safe social activity, though not necessarily educational, is for the school to decide.

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