Schools Eliminating Halloween?

[frazzled]

72. We had this issue 25 years ago in my kids' elementary school

For us, a large part of it was that we had a significant community of Hmong students, whose families did not understand the holiday and/or who were frightened about the idea of costumes. It's a different culture. Then there were the odd families who opposed it on religious grounds.

So the annual "Halloween parade," in which kids came to school in their costumes and marched down the halls, could become problematic each year.

Here's what we decided to do: we had information sessions for the Hmong parents to explain the holiday and its customs (couldn't send home notes about it, since theirs was a culture with no written language and thus they were illiterate), and to provide help with costumes for those who wanted their kids to participate. And if my memory serves me, the rules were no masks allowed at school. Hiding faces was I believe the biggest problem.

For those opposed on religious or other grounds, who didn't want their kids to participate, an alternative activity was provided in the cafeteria.

We do have to be culturally sensitive while still supporting fun activities in a non-religious, nonpartisan way. I remember what it felt like to have to sing religious Christmas carols at school, in chorus, when I was not a Christian. I felt very uncomfortable singing "Christ our saviour is born!"--but I was also scared that I would be chastised or singled out if I didn't. So I'd mouth the words but not sing them aloud! That shouldn't have to happen to children.