Why is Halloween Forbidden in Fairfax County Schools?

[Anonymous]

who cares if children are silly and crazy for a day--feel bad for kids today..no fun!! As for the distraction point of view from teachers..my best friend is one and says that a lot of her collegues just don't want to "deal" with the extra work. They want to do the minimum so blame it on "it's too much of a distraction"--of course she also agreed with a lot of points in "waiting for superman" so my friend..not your typical teacher.

[Anonymous]

I work in a FCPS high school and kids could wear costumes..just no masks.

I have to say I am happily surprised how much Halloween was celebrated in my 1st graders class in Arlington. They had a parade last week and a party in class, and also carved pumpkins in class.

[Anonymous]

Because the religious right have ruined everything. They make the reactionary liberal left rant about gay marriage like braying donkeys and force us to take religion out of every corner of secular society just to balance against the craziness.

Really? You are going to make this issue a political one? All of the evils of society are a direct result of religious right? I am a devout Christian. I have no problem with Halloween. My kids both celebrated at their (private) schools. They went trick or treating. I have a number of friends who are teachers. They indicate (as have many other posters) that Halloween celebrations became at problem at school when the kids (with the obvious consent of their parents) used the holiday as an excuse to wear overly sexual and/or otherwise inappropriate costumes to school. Everything at the public schools is becoming "sanitized" for a number of reasons and the finger pointing shouldn't just be toward the right. The constant political posters need to limit their narrow one-sided political view of the world to the political forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Halloween is most definitely NOT a Christian holiday.

Why don't you do a little research before making statements like that?

Christian influences
Falling on November 1st and 2nd respectively, collectively they were a time for honoring the Saints and praying for the recently departed who had yet to reach heaven. By the end of the 12th century they had become days of holy obligation across Europe and involved such traditions as ringing bells for the souls in purgatory and "souling", the custom of baking bread or soul cakes for "all crysten [ christened ] souls".[12] It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints Day, and All Hallow's Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving onto the next world.[13] To avoid being recognised by a soul, Christians would wear masques and costumes to disguise themselves, following the lighted candles set by others to guide their travel for worship the next day.[13] Today, this practice has been perpetuated through trick-or-treating.[13]

In Britain the rituals of Hallowtide and Halloween came under attack during the Reformation as Protestants denounced purgatory as a "popish" doctrine incompatible with the notion of predestination.[11] In addition the increasing popularity of Guy Fawkes Night from 1605 on saw Halloween become eclipsed in Britain with the notable exception of Scotland.[14] There, it is believed, the Kirk took a more pragmatic approach towards Halloween, viewing it as important to the life cycle and rites of passage of local communities and thus ensuring its survival in the country.[14]

North American almanacs of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century give no indication that Halloween was recognized as a holiday.[15] The Puritans of New England, for example, maintained strong opposition to the holiday[15] and it was not until the mass Irish and Scottish immigration during the 19th century that the holiday was introduced to the continent in earnest.[15] Initially confined to the immigrant communities during the mid-nineteenth century, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and by the first decade of the twentieth century it was being celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds.[16]

[Anonymous]

8:14 Please don't do your "research" on wikipedia. You do know that it isn't considered a valid source, don't you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:8:14 Please don't do your "research" on wikipedia. You do know that it isn't considered a valid source, don't you?

So do you have any research denying that it was, at one point, a Christian holiday?

BTW, happy All Saints Day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:heaven forbid kids have any fun at school.

Seriously.

I don't get this at all. Especially on a half day Monday.

That's a bigger problem - half day Mondays. I can't understand how dual WOHPs have allowed this to go on. Outrageous.

[Anonymous]

My kids aren't in school yet, but do they issue some sort of notice saying that costumes are banded? And how exactly is it enforced. My daughter's princess costume wasn't really much different from an everyday dress that I made her, except somewhat longer and different colors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
That's a bigger problem - half day Mondays. I can't understand how dual WOHPs have allowed this to go on. Outrageous.

I despise Mondays. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Seriously?!!!

WE had a HUGE all-school parade with fire trucks and 1-hour class Halloween party afterwards at our N.Arlington public school.

I love that Arlington has an 'old-school' vibe to its celebrations.

[Anonymous]

FCPS parent -- School and PTA sponsor Halloween Fun Night friday evening. --- Blast and a half ---

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Halloween is most definitely NOT a Christian holiday.

Why don't you do a little research before making statements like that?

Christian influences
Falling on November 1st and 2nd respectively, collectively they were a time for honoring the Saints and praying for the recently departed who had yet to reach heaven. By the end of the 12th century they had become days of holy obligation across Europe and involved such traditions as ringing bells for the souls in purgatory and "souling", the custom of baking bread or soul cakes for "all crysten [ christened ] souls".[12] It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints Day, and All Hallow's Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving onto the next world.[13] To avoid being recognised by a soul, Christians would wear masques and costumes to disguise themselves, following the lighted candles set by others to guide their travel for worship the next day.[13] Today, this practice has been perpetuated through trick-or-treating.[13]

In Britain the rituals of Hallowtide and Halloween came under attack during the Reformation as Protestants denounced purgatory as a "popish" doctrine incompatible with the notion of predestination.[11] In addition the increasing popularity of Guy Fawkes Night from 1605 on saw Halloween become eclipsed in Britain with the notable exception of Scotland.[14] There, it is believed, the Kirk took a more pragmatic approach towards Halloween, viewing it as important to the life cycle and rites of passage of local communities and thus ensuring its survival in the country.[14]

North American almanacs of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century give no indication that Halloween was recognized as a holiday.[15] The Puritans of New England, for example, maintained strong opposition to the holiday[15] and it was not until the mass Irish and Scottish immigration during the 19th century that the holiday was introduced to the continent in earnest.[15] Initially confined to the immigrant communities during the mid-nineteenth century, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and by the first decade of the twentieth century it was being celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds.[16]

it is pagan/wicca-via Ireland Many Muslims, Jews and Christians won't celebrate Halloween bc of its association with paganism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids aren't in school yet, but do they issue some sort of notice saying that costumes are banded? And how exactly is it enforced. My daughter's princess costume wasn't really much different from an everyday dress that I made her, except somewhat longer and different colors.

Costumes are banded? You lost me. Oh wait...did you mean "costumes are banned" (?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids aren't in school yet, but do they issue some sort of notice saying that costumes are banded? And how exactly is it enforced. My daughter's princess costume wasn't really much different from an everyday dress that I made her, except somewhat longer and different colors.

Costumes are banded? You lost me. Oh wait...did you mean "costumes are banned" (?)

Wow, you must feel really good about yourself. I'm sure you've never made a typo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:teacher here (middle school). Tongue in cheek answers aside, it's just too much distraction during the school day, at least for the older grades. We have many (many) kids who would use this as an excuse to wear a) sexy/slutty (naughty nurse) or b) purposely controversial outfits (f/e, a boy wearing a strapless prom dress).

I personally don't see anything wrong with having little kids dress up on halloween-it's only one day, after all. But for older kids, it's not really a good idea.

When I taught 1st grade a few years ago (2007-2009), I had to deal with the inappropriate sexy costumes. I had 6 yo little girls show up to school in midriff baring Miley Cyrus costumes, a flapper complete with a fake cigarette in a cigarette holder, what I thought was a mini hooker or stripper (fishnet tights and a strapless, glittery tube top worn as a dress) only to be told that she was a super model. The little boys were things like the Grim Reaper! 5, 6 and 7 year olds! I never thought I'd want to censor Halloween until then.

This. Quite honestly, I think some parents lack sense when it comes to what they allow their little girls to dress up as and so best just to make a flat rule saying no Halloween costumes at school. Our elementary school does a Halloween party/fair, which is fun and I think a much better idea than letting kids dress up.