More Schools Canceling Halloween Celebrations

Halloween isn’t officially for another week, but the spooky season is definitely here as temperatures continue to drop. One school in Illinois isn’t feeling the holiday spirit though, and they’re putting some rules in place that have parents shaking their heads. Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Evanston is just one school around the country deciding to pass on the Halloween festivities. Yahoo reports that the superintendents announced the change to “move away” from Halloween celebrations today. Many have become so accustomed to the costumes, pumpkin carving, and candy near the holiday that outrage is already off and running among the people of the community. But, even with the public outcry, it may not be enough to get the district to reverse their stance on the new rules.

In fact, the Evanston/Skokie School District provided a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle explaining their position. It reads, “As part of our school and district-wide commitment to equity, we are focused on building community and creating inclusive, welcoming environments for all. While we recognize that Halloween is a fun tradition for many, it is not a holiday that is celebrated by everyone for various reasons and we want to honor that.”

They continue, “We are also aware of the range of inequities that are embedded in Halloween celebrations that take place as part of the school day and the unintended negative impact that it can have on some students, families, and staff. As a result, we are moving away from Halloween celebrations that include costumes and similar traditions during the school day. We are confident our school communities will find new and engaging ways to build community within their schools.”

“In District 65, we remain committed to equity and discontinuing current and past practices that are not in alignment with our goals. Our schools are special because of the people who are a part of them and our commitment to serving the educational needs of our students. Many of our schools have already moved away from the traditional Halloween activities during the school day and have scheduled Halloween or other seasonal activities outside of the school day,” the district concludes.

Now, the reasoning with respect to different religious observances and cultures does make sense when framed with this rational explanation. It is also true that many kids are going to go Trick-or-Treating or do some other Halloween festivities whether it happens on school grounds or not. But, certainly as these sorts of decisions spread, there will be some vocal disapproval that follows.