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.

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" (?)

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.

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]

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

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.

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?

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

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.