Yeah the problem is the kids (mostly Hispanic but also Muslim) who don't celebrate Halloween. I'm not saying those students are problems but particularly in the Hispanic evangelical christian community Halloween is seen as "satanic." I have has numerous students and the friends of my children say that Halloween is "the devil's birthday." I think the Muslim children just don't celebrate any other religions holidays, however distanced from religion they now are. It sucks because Halloween as it is celebrated by mainstream americans is not satanic. Why these religious organizations have seized on this idea I'm not sure. But it's cultura/religious. So the kids who don't celebrate the holiday have an alternative "festival" in a different room and then there is the "fall festival" for everyone else that is a Halloween party.

The devil's birthday business really bothers me because it's so far from the truth it's ridiculous.

It really has little to do with Title I/Focus, and more to do with the staff/student religious population, and the principal. I've worked with 7 Title I schools and they all had traditional Halloween celebrations with costumes, and alternate activities for non-celebrants. Poor kids can get costumes, or teachers provide them. Once I made a kid a SpongeBob costume on the fly with a big piece of yellow construction paper, markers, and string. I've never seen a kid with no costume due to not being able to afford it.

When I was a teacher at one school, we had about 1/6 of the kids either not come to school, or participate in the alternate activity (which was run by the PE and art teachers, so it was fun stuff). The admins really did not like the hassle of Halloween parties, so they pretended to get input from the PTA and then switched to a fall festival with no costumes and "fall learning" activities. It was awful, and the parents complained. A lot. And attendance didn't improve--the parents who kept kids home on Halloween didn't care if there were no costumes. After two years, we went back to Halloween.

There is one school in the county that doesn't have Halloween, solely due to the principal's personal view. I understand looking at your student population and having a policy that reflects them, but while Halloween is not celebrated by several cultural/religious groups, it is also a huge deal in others.

People are obnoxious. It is not celebrated as a religious holiday at all. It is a cultural holiday. Will they try to ban thanksgiving celebrations next?

If they don't want their kid to do it they can send them to the alternate activities or pull them that afternoon.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a neighboring school zone that had a Halloween celebration this year, with a fall festival for those who didn't celebrate Halloween. There were a lot of complaints so I don't know what will happen next year. It sounded like they were considering doing away with future Halloween themed events.

What were people complaining about? Halloween is big around here.

I think we'll see this more and more. My DD has a few friends at different schools who do still celebrate Halloween in MoCo, but also a few who do not. I believe it's a religious issue (not sure though). People feel that if their kids can't/don't celebrate, it should be kept out of the schools.

We're at a Focus school in MoCO that doesn't not allow a Halloween celebration. And, teachers are not allowed to talk about/read books about the holiday.

So, there is no mention of Halloween at/during school.

However, the PTA does offer a Halloween-type celebration on a Saturday in October, where kids can come in costume.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:45 here, admittedly I missed the PTA meeting where it was discussed but I believe people who didn't celebrate Halloween felt excluded.

Ugg. That is a bit extreme to ban Halloween.

I don't know what they will do. I don't think they made a final decision.

Anonymous wrote:11:45 here, admittedly I missed the PTA meeting where it was discussed but I believe people who didn't celebrate Halloween felt excluded.

Ugg. That is a bit extreme to ban Halloween.

11:45 here, admittedly I missed the PTA meeting where it was discussed but I believe people who didn't celebrate Halloween felt excluded.

Anonymous wrote:We live in a neighboring school zone that had a Halloween celebration this year, with a fall festival for those who didn't celebrate Halloween. There were a lot of complaints so I don't know what will happen next year. It sounded like they were considering doing away with future Halloween themed events.

What were people complaining about? Halloween is big around here.

We're in a demographically similar DCC elementary school and we don't have Halloween celebrations. Ostensibly, it is because of religious diversity at the school. I doubt the issue is money for costumes because I see so many of the neighborhood kids out trick or treating (which is great!).

We live in a neighboring school zone that had a Halloween celebration this year, with a fall festival for those who didn't celebrate Halloween. There were a lot of complaints so I don't know what will happen next year. It sounded like they were considering doing away with future Halloween themed events.

OP here. Thanks! We just moved to the district and I would be super sad if they didn't. Why I'm thinking if this in July, I have no idea...

Yes, and hopefully they keep it!

Yes. Kids dress up, parents bring treats and run Halloween games in class. Super fun.

Title says it all--Halloween? "Fall Festival"? Costumes?