THIS Is Why People Make Fun of School Districts!!!

[Trish]

Of course I'm just having a little fun with my thread title. It seems that "embarrassing and hypocritical Christians" aren't the only ones trying to transform Halloween. They are opting for a Fall Festival.

 

PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (CBS) –

Halloween is a little more than one week away, but students at Schuylkill Elementary School aren’t planning their

classroom

costumes. That’s because there won’t be a Halloween celebration here, or at the other two elementary schools in the Phoenixville School District. District officials sent a letter home to

parents

on Monday, reminding them of the decision they said was sent out in the “Welcome Back†letter in August.

 

Superintendent Alan Fegley said there were a number of factors considered when making the decision, including that the elementary schools were all doing different celebrations and the school wanted to keep them consistent, that costume safety was becoming a real concern, and that

students

who couldn’t afford costumes were feeling left out.

:D

 

School District Nixes Halloween Celebration

[vonfirmath]

Our school is not celebrating Halloween either. I VERY much appreciate it.

[Element]

My dd was in ps for the last 3 years and this letter is similar to the letter our school district sent home last year. We live in a district with lots of poverty, so I actually do believe the thought was genuine. The students weren't too happy about it, but I know a lot of parents that were quite relieved. Many of the wealthier students are in the habit of bringing not just treats, but fancy gift bags full of items to share with everyone in the class. It quickly becomes a "you are judged on the quality of your treats" thing :glare: and students began to want to bring the coolest treats and treat bags. Considering the fact that (here, in my district) 60%+ receive free lunch, I know the treat bag pressure alone was putting a bit of strain on some families. Plus, it was just so much candy anyway. We do trick-or-treating, so we didn't need any extra candy to begin with, but dd would bring home a big bag filled with smaller bags of candy... it was really excessive. (I'm a chocoholic, so you know it has to be bad if I say the candy situation was excessive! :tongue_smilie: ) Anyway, though, I think it was a good move for our district. The kids still have parties several other times during the year.

[dangermom]

My thought was, when did we start having giant costume parties in school? I'm pretty sure that when I was a kid, we didn't wear our costumes to school or do candy or any of that stuff on Halloween.

 

Our school had a Halloween carnival in the evening sometime during the week leading up to the day, and you could wear your costume then and each classroom had a booth. It was fun and voluntary.

 

School is for studying and I would be perfectly happy to see schools move any Halloween celebration to after-school hours, citing the need for study time as the reason.

[Dmmetler]

What a lot of schools here do is for the PTA to do a carnival (games, usually some sort of fun run as a fundraiser, hot dogs, cotton candy, etc) in October sometime, but not to actually do Halloween. Parents donate their time and items for prizes (candy, small happy-meal type toys, etc), and then pay a small amount of money for their kids to go to the carnival. DD went to one at a friend's school last weekend.

 

Since we're pretty deep in the Bible Belt, there are enough people who consider Halloween evil, that I can't blame PS for avoiding it entirely. I do find it kind of hypocritical that they bend over backwards to avoid Halloween, but from the first day the kids get back after Thanksgiving, it will be All-Christmas, All the time.

[Parrothead]

Well, if you read down further in the article than what the OP posted you'll find this:

 

The kids may not be celebrating Halloween, but that doesn’t mean they’re having just a normal day at school. Fegley says they will have a fall festival, complete with parties for the kids.

Alison Cirone is helping plan her daughter’s second grade fall party. “I know we were told no scarecrows, no witches, no ghosts,” said Cirone.

 

“There were quite a few parents that were upset, and others were neutral,” said Cirone. “But I think some of us just wonder, there’s no more birthday celebrations, so if there’s not Halloween, what could there possibly be next that we won’t be celebrating in school?”

[jujsky]

Am I the only Halloween-lover on this board? ;) We used to have costume parties at school when I was growing up, and people wore costumes to school on Halloween right up through high school. Many of the teachers dressed up as well. I will never be able to scrub the searing memory burned into my brain of Mr. Dominic dressed in tights (Robin Hood). Halloween was one of my favorite times of the year in school. I think it's sad that it's no longer done. I think it's especially sad for kids in low-income districts because they may not get the chance to have sweets very often. Even homeschool groups I know of are having "fall festivals" instead of Halloween -- and I'm talking about fairly secular groups. No costumes. No food. What's the point?

[Parrothead]

Am I the only Halloween-lover on this board? ;)

No. :D

[vonfirmath]

Note, they don't celebrate Halloween.

BUT they do crafts with traditionally HAlloween stuff. For example, he brought home a homemade bat yesterday. It was called "Stellaluna" (Or something like that) and they learned about how bats fly, etc.

 

And on October 31, they are having a Nursery Rhyme pArade and encouraging kids to dress up as one of the nursery rhymes ("but not your Spiderman costume, that's for home!" as my son repeated) and to memorize the nursery rhyme to say that day.

 

They've also done a lot of stuff with pumpkins. And cats. And such. Nothing scary so far.

 

So no, they don't celebrate Halloween. but they are finding ways in the curriculum to handle the "traditional" elements you might expect to find if they did.

I'm okay with that.

[gingersmom]

I must confess I don't get all the anti-halloween sentiment. I think if it was not for these boards I would not even know it existed.

 

We celebrated Halloween at school when I was a kid. In 6th-9th grade (private school), you got to wear your costume all day.

 

In our local public schools after lunch you change into your costume and then the rest of the afternoon is a party in your classroom.

[vonfirmath]

You don't have to be anti-Halloween to not really want it taking place in the classroom. I'm ambivalent about Halloween. We participate because it is one of the few times we get out and can spend time with neighbors, etc. But I'd be just as happy skipping it (And did before we have kids)

 

There are many elements of Halloween I don't like at all -- the scary ones. I've never enjoyed being scared and the moaning skeletons and foggy cauldrons, etc. do not impress me. (though I was interested to discover they made the fog using dry ice!)

[Samiam]

We are not anti-Halloween either...one of my favorite times of year, but on the other hand, it's not really a HOLIDAY is it? I mean, what are we REALLY celebrating? There's no reason to celebrate it in school. Celebrate fall, yes, but Halloween, why? Lots of people don't celebrate it, and honestly, three kids later, I could do without the whole $$$$ in costumes and let's go door to door asking for candy experience. We do it, but I'm over it. It's certainly nothing to be folded into a school day. Let's focus on the education, shall we, and let me worry about costumes and candy at home.

 

Frankly, as a parent, when my child was in private school for K5-1st, I kinda hated having to send him in costume. One, feared parts of costume would get broke/lost through out the day (and he insisted on WEARING all accessories even though it was kind of impractical to wear all day at school). Secondly, most costumes just aren't meant to wear all day, or even that comfortable (at least for boys). Struggle to get to the bathroom, etc.

 

Don't see the big deal on this one...at.all.

[hsbaby]

Hmmmm....I think it's kind of sad. Halloween was SO fun when I was in school! Not only did everyone wear costumes, but we had a parade at lunch and all of the parents came. When did everything become so PC? I didn't know anyone that didn't dress up or celebrate....is the scrutiny of Halloween relatively new? Or maybe I see it more now that we are in the Bible belt (I grew up in CA).

[regentrude]

We celebrate Halloween, but I don't see why there needs to be a school party for Halloween.

[gingersmom]

Oh, do tell? What is the significance of Halloween for other religions? I'm obviously not aware. I'm guessing Wiccan or Pagan, maybe? How does dressing up as the latest Super Hero movie character or going door to door asking for goodies relate to those religious beliefs?

 

 

How does Rudolph the red nosed reindeer have anything to do with Christmas? And why is he standing on someones lawn?

 

How do we know the Grinch was not Jewish? Or an atheist maybe?

 

What does hiding easter eggs and the easter bunny have anything to do with Easter?

[Samiam]

How does Rudolph the red nosed reindeer have anything to do with Christmas? And why is he standing on someones lawn?

 

How do we know the Grinch was not Jewish? Or an atheist maybe?

 

What does hiding easter eggs and the easter bunny have anything to do with Easter?

 

All good questions, and one would find that:

 

1. Many Christians do not honor those habits for the holidays. Many Christians do not do Santa, and they don't do the Easter Bunny. Do those that honor Halloween as a religious holiday dress up as monsters/princesses/superheros for religious reasons? I would think, just as many Christians are against their important days being turned into commercial events, that the religions that honor Halloween would be against the commercial event it has been turned into and thus would agree that it's not really celebrating the true meaning of Halloween by having a costume party at school.

 

2. As Halloween is a religious holiday, I'm learning, then it has no place in the public school, if the schools are choosing to not offend various religions that celebrate different days.

[gingersmom]

All good questions, and one would find that:

 

1. Many Christians do not honor those habits for the holidays. Many Christians do not do Santa, and they don't do the Easter Bunny.

 

My experience is 1000% opposite. I must not be in the minority or Target and Wal Mart would not be full of holiday lawn ornaments, reindeer sweatshirts, easter baskets, fake grass for easter basket, jelly beans, etc.

[SonshineLearner]

I'm all for celebrating Holidays that are Religious :) Call it "Cultural Awareness" :) In Sweden, of all places, my "step" nephew studied the Old Testament, particularly Moses... as I recall :) (It's cultural awareness...) That was in his Montessori 8th grade class...

I like Christmas, Thanksgiving... (what about those who don't like that America changed, perhaps we shouldn't celebrate Thanksgiving??) Easter.... I would be fine celebrating Halloween, too :) Purim (secular celebrations to many young Jewish people, fun to drink & party) BUT... history awareness.... about Esther asking on the Jew's behalf for freedom. and Yom Kippur....and Hannukah... celebrating the lasting of the oil in the Temple....

I'll celebrate anything that isn't about Anti-America ;) And candy?? I love picking through my son's for the best pieces :)

[CatMomof3]

See I don't see why a school can't make it a FUN school activity, where it is can also be a learning experience

 

example

 

1st graders usually learn about the community they can dress up like community workers : firefighters, police officers, teachers, religious leaders, scout leaders ... even a Mom or a Dad

 

2nd graders (don't they usually do early American History) - well they can do a report and dress up as an early American "hero"

 

so on

 

Also it does not have to be expensive, I am making my son's Patriot costume for about $4.00

 

I think the problem with Halloween (and frankly anything "scary") is it is no longer "scary" as suspenseful, it is GORY or over SEXY

 

My oldest wanted to go to the Halloween shop, I finally said OK, we did not make it past the front door, there was a picture of a mutilated 12 year old's face on the front window. That night I let my daughter watch face/off (the SiFi show on makeup) to help explain how it was makeup.

 

but that is just my opinion

[mom2scouts]

I went to elementary school in the early 1970's and we always had Halloween parties. We brought our costumes and put them on in the afternoon and had a costume parade through all the other classrooms.

 

I'm kind of neutral on Halloween. We're Christians and we tell our kids that God can overcome evil, but we don't do scary, evil, or gory decorations of costumes. My kids have fun dressing up and getting candy and that's about as far as we take it. When they were in public school, they enjoyed having a break for a party.

 

Our local schools all went to a harvest festival so that nobody was offended, but the parents at the one elementary that gets most of the wealthier kids, rebelled and brought back Halloween parties and the annual costume parade.

 

Oh, and one other thing from the article. The woman said they couldn't have "scarecrows".:confused: Don't scarecrows go with the Harvest Festival thing?

[momto2Cs]

Am I the only Halloween-lover on this board? ;) We used to have costume parties at school when I was growing up, and people wore costumes to school on Halloween right up through high school. Many of the teachers dressed up as well. I will never be able to scrub the searing memory burned into my brain of Mr. Dominic dressed in tights (Robin Hood). Halloween was one of my favorite times of the year in school. I think it's sad that it's no longer done. I think it's especially sad for kids in low-income districts because they may not get the chance to have sweets very often. Even homeschool groups I know of are having "fall festivals" instead of Halloween -- and I'm talking about fairly secular groups. No costumes. No food. What's the point?

 

:iagree:

[bettyandbob]

I like halloween. We celebrate it--trick or treat, block party. I do not think it needs to be given a lot of time in school. I remember doing costumes at school in K. We didn't do costumes or have parties in public school after K. The public schools near me do not do any Halloween events during the school day.

 

I am not sure what's wrong with a school saying they don't want costumes at school and do not want to do a party centered on this event. I'm not sure how it connects across the curriculum for all grades. Usually holidays are the focus of K social studies, but not later grades.

[Arcadia]

We live in a district with lots of poverty, so I actually do believe the thought was genuine. The students weren't too happy about it, but I know a lot of parents that were quite relieved. Many of the wealthier students are in the habit of bringing not just treats, but fancy gift bags full of items to share with everyone in the class.

 

:iagree: my neighborhood school has about 40% on reduced/free lunch and when my kid was in that school, some children did not have Halloween costumes. Some show up in orange t-shirts with Halloween prints. The cost of costumes is crazy here unless you buy post-Halloween and keep for a year.

 

Some of the wealthier parents are the ones being showy.

 

My kid wore the same costume for K and 1st because nothing catch his fancy so he wore back his K costume.

[Elinor Everywhere]

We celebrate Halloween, but I don't see why there needs to be a school party for Halloween.

 

:iagree: My kids have dressed and gone around the neighborhood collecting candy since they were 3.

 

But at school? Believe me, now that I have a child in school I realize how MANY days they are not doing school. Half-days abound; single-assemblies, double-assemblies, long weekends.....I'm amazed when they can get one full week of school done. How about an after-school party? Or....gasp.....nothing?