For schools that have banned Halloween

[Anonymous]

Spirit Week. There was crazy hat day, mismatch day, pajama day, etc. They talked about Halloween in class so it wasn't "banned" but there were no Halloween themed events and no costumes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question, why would a catholic school be ok with Halloween but not public school or a Jewish preschool (see other thread)?

My public Elementary school doesn’t do it because they want the kids to be learning and they think it’s distracting.
My Jewish Preschool doesn’t do it for the reasons mentioned in the other thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:why are schools banning it?

At my child’s school it was due to parents complaining about their kids feeling left out because they don’t celebrate Halloween and other parents wouldn’t send their kids to school on Halloween.

Same at our DCPS school. Only holidays we celebrate school wide are the growing number of civil rights and victim studies holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question, why would a catholic school be ok with Halloween but not public school or a Jewish preschool (see other thread)?

Jewish kids celebrate Purim, not Halloween, at preschool. They choose to dress up for Purim instead.

[Anonymous]

I’m happy they don’t do anything. It was a pain in preschool that I had to take a half day of work to go watch their parade. My kids have at least three events each year where they celebrate and wear their costumes outside of school. We go to all of those. I don’t need them to have another in school.

Some of you are the same parents concerned over school security and parents dress up to watch these types of parades ans school parties. It becomes a huge problem with security when parents show up in full costumes with masks or inappropriate costumes. I’m a teacher and have seen it.

[Anonymous]

The Grinch is at it again!
A group of (I suspect demographically the same) parents also complained that the walkathon was held during lent (we used to have spring walkathons). Wtf?! Send your kids to a catholic school then.
We are now at a new school with a different demographic but now parents complain the walking is too straining for their kids....
But I digress. On Halloween the costumes are allowed. I am not sure if there are activities in classrooms (it’s 4th grade so probably less than in Lower grades).
One school tried to outright ban it but I think there was public outcry (despite the fact that the area was super liberal).
I don’t care either way but I think it’s ridiculous to cater to those who come in, enjoy public schools and additional resources, and dictate which holidays are appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m happy they don’t do anything. It was a pain in preschool that I had to take a half day of work to go watch their parade. My kids have at least three events each year where they celebrate and wear their costumes outside of school. We go to all of those. I don’t need them to have another in school.

Some of you are the same parents concerned over school security and parents dress up to watch these types of parades ans school parties. It becomes a huge problem with security when parents show up in full costumes with masks or inappropriate costumes. I’m a teacher and have seen it.

If you don’t want to go watch the parade, just skip it. Tell your kid you have to work. Just because you don’t want to take off for work, doesn’t mean schools have to ban Halloween parades.

And most schools have a ‘No Mask’ rule, so it’s not a safety issue.

[Anonymous]

We reap what we sow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We reap what we sow.

I'm really not sure how to interpret that comment in the context of this thread

[Anonymous]

The schools can’t win. People will complain that the school isn’t having Halloween parties and then later in the winter some will complain that instructional time is being missed due to snow days or they’ll complain about parties at the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Grinch is at it again!
A group of (I suspect demographically the same) parents also complained that the walkathon was held during lent (we used to have spring walkathons). Wtf?! Send your kids to a catholic school then.
We are now at a new school with a different demographic but now parents complain the walking is too straining for their kids....
But I digress. On Halloween the costumes are allowed. I am not sure if there are activities in classrooms (it’s 4th grade so probably less than in Lower grades).
One school tried to outright ban it but I think there was public outcry (despite the fact that the area was super liberal).
I don’t care either way but I think it’s ridiculous to cater to those who come in, enjoy public schools and additional resources, and dictate which holidays are appropriate.

This times 1,000!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools can’t win. People will complain that the school isn’t having Halloween parties and then later in the winter some will complain that instructional time is being missed due to snow days or they’ll complain about parties at the end of the year.

It's kind of like the people on this board even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question, why would a catholic school be ok with Halloween but not public school or a Jewish preschool (see other thread)?

Halloween is All Hallow's Eve, otherwise known as the night before All Saints' Day. So, Halloween has roots in Catholic culture. We Catholics are more than happy to see everyone enjoying it. Many Evangelicals do not celebrate Halloween because they see it as something pagan.
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2019-10/the-catholic-roots-of-halloween-the-vigil-of-all-saints-day.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Grinch is at it again!
A group of (I suspect demographically the same) parents also complained that the walkathon was held during lent (we used to have spring walkathons). Wtf?! Send your kids to a catholic school then.
We are now at a new school with a different demographic but now parents complain the walking is too straining for their kids....
But I digress. On Halloween the costumes are allowed. I am not sure if there are activities in classrooms (it’s 4th grade so probably less than in Lower grades).
One school tried to outright ban it but I think there was public outcry (despite the fact that the area was super liberal).
I don’t care either way but I think it’s ridiculous to cater to those who come in, enjoy public schools and additional resources, and dictate which holidays are appropriate.

Objecting to a walkathon at anytime during Lent would be weird. There is nothing wrong with a walkathon during Lent. Was it scheduled on Good Friday? That happens to be the most solemn day of the entire Catholic calendar. It would be akin to the school having a carnival on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hoshanah. That being said, I do not expect the public school calendar to revolve around my personal beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Grinch is at it again!
A group of (I suspect demographically the same) parents also complained that the walkathon was held during lent (we used to have spring walkathons). Wtf?! Send your kids to a catholic school then.
We are now at a new school with a different demographic but now parents complain the walking is too straining for their kids....
But I digress. On Halloween the costumes are allowed. I am not sure if there are activities in classrooms (it’s 4th grade so probably less than in Lower grades).
One school tried to outright ban it but I think there was public outcry (despite the fact that the area was super liberal).
I don’t care either way but I think it’s ridiculous to cater to those who come in, enjoy public schools and additional resources, and dictate which holidays are appropriate.

Objecting to a walkathon at anytime during Lent would be weird. There is nothing wrong with a walkathon during Lent. Was it scheduled on Good Friday? That happens to be the most solemn day of the entire Catholic calendar. It would be akin to the school having a carnival on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hoshanah. That being said, I do not expect the public school calendar to revolve around my personal beliefs.

It was a Friday, not sure if Good Friday.
Luckily it wasn’t rescheduled but we were made aware (as a WAT committee). Lots of eyerolling ensued!