Why Public Schools Should Not Ban Halloween Parties
An attempt at logical speculation
While public schools take pains to respect all religious beliefs, banning Halloween parties isn’t necessary. Any non-lesson classroom time helps a child’s social development, and Halloween parties are just as innocuous as any other supervised children’s activity. It’s not a religious service, it’s a social gathering.
Decision Makers
Ideally, a school’s teachers and administration and a student’s parent(s) should agree not only on the child’s education but also on the child’s social development. After all, most kids will spend about 12 years of their pre-college lives in school, and socialization is inevitable during that time. This includes mainstream holiday parties.
The idea of a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) discussing the possibility of banning local school Halloween parties may sound silly, fruitless, or inevitable. However, as touchy as this subject may be to some, the reality is that the school makes the decision since any potential holiday-related activity will occur on school grounds.
Parents who want a say should be welcomed and encouraged to speak up responsibly, but school-wide decisions ultimately come from the administration. If a family’s religious goals preclude…
