Halloween Has Gone AWOL

Now that my children have begun their school careers I think often about my own school experiences. One of the changes in schools today that I find disapointing and a bit disenheartening is their stance against classroom Halloween parties. I asked my childs teacher recently why they were not allowed to wear a costume to school as I did when I went to the same elementary school; her answer was that it was deemed to be discriminatory to other childs beliefs. What?

I understand that the school should be open and considerate to all regardless of their race, religions and beliefs but what does that have to do with a commercialized holiday. At one time Halloween meant something but over the years it has become nothing more than an innocent night of trick-or-treating and dress-up. Children pretend to be their favorite super-heros or villians in the name of fun and candy, what harm is that to anyone? They have a chance to socialize with their classmates in an unstructured enviroment and bring a little bit of fun into their hum-drum school day.

I remember the days of costume parades and class to class trick-or-treating like it was yesterday; the costume contests were always so much fun even when you didn't win a prize. Each year your creativity was challenged to outdo last years costume and hope to win the valued best costume award, having your parents come to stand along your classmates parents to view the costume parade as you strutted your chosen attire. Feeling special just because for one day you were able to be someone you admired or thought was cool, the costume always made me feel empowered to be whoever I wanted with no fear that I would be ridiculed for my choice.

My children hear my stories of Halloween parades past and sigh, they are not allowed to dress up and their class can bring no Halloween candy or treats. Oh, there is a "Harvest Festival" but it in no way allows for a true festive feeling for the children. The parents are not invited and the children spend the last hour of the day in what the teacher calls "free time" and a piece of candy or two the teacher brings in is distributed as they leave for the day. The days of scrambling to get your costume on before the party begins and comparing your costume to those of your fellow classmates are gone, never it seems to return.

I do not agree with this new policy in schools as I do not feel their reasons are valid, Halloween does not involve religion so how can it hinder others? Why are so many trying to taint what is merely a fun filled child's Holiday with misleading views and information as to its meaning, you would think in the day and age we live in more would see Halloween for what it is. harmless fun.