As I was taking my morning walk, groups of goblins, superheroes, and princesses passed me, on their way to the local elementary school. SUVs lined the street around the school, with parents and more costumed kids spilling out of them.
Could someone please explain the me the link between Halloween and local elementary schools? Is wearing a costume to school in celebration of the holiday, really helpful for encouraging learning and classroom focus for the kids? If not, why have kids wear them?
How about those children who do not celebrate Halloween? When I attended Moorpark College about a decade ago studying early childhood education, our instructors were quite adamant about keeping holidays out of the classroom. They even advised us not to celebrate children’s birthdays, because some religions do not allow holiday celebrations. By celebrating anyway, that singles out those children as different and not able to take part.
I know how that feels, because I grew up in the Christian Science religion, and did not take health classes for religious reasons. And, staying out of a class that might have been boring anyway, is not half as hard as not taking part in something fun like a Halloween parade at school or someone’s birthday party.
Besides, doesn’t the excitement of being dressed up as a monster or Southern belle (saw one of those this morning) grow old as the day wears on? Is it then so exciting to dress up again, and go Trick or Treating?
Posted by Janna Orkney
eco-nerd // Oct 30, 2009 at 1:31 PM
I remember the costume parade at my sons private school. The classes were hard, the teachers were hard and this was a time where my 7 year old could have fun as 7 year olds like to do.
Halloween isn’t really a holiday and many of these kids don’t participate in trick-or -treating like we did in the ‘old days’.
If you ask me, I think that there’s way too much conforming to make everybody happy these days. I blame it not on the religions but the attorneys.
Jeanne Cope // Oct 31, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Halloween is an opportunity for the kids to have fun. This is also a time when cultural diversity could be taught. Use of the mask was used in ancient Greek Theater, Venice, and in the balls and dances in European royalty.
As in any holiday it is important to respect and celebrate cultural diversity. Each individual’s civil rights should be respected.
Religious organizations have and will continue to use attorneys to represent them in making sure their civil right as protected. As to what constitutes a civil rights violation is a bit of a puzzle. I think having a full day of costumes is a bit much. We were allowed to have our masks and costumes for an hour at the end of the day.
I feel it is a shame that the historical, anthropological, and psychological aspect of wearing a mask and pretending is not explored.