Halloween

Over the course of my twenty-two years of teaching, the rules governing Halloween have changed with the times. When I first started teaching, rules regarding costumes seemed to be more lax. The conversations about masks had just begun, and, like the dress code, the costumes have become more restricted as needed. There didn't seem to be rules about candy and parties at all. 

In my current district, the rules regarding costumes are that they cannot have masks. We have to remind the students that this is not just to be mean, but it is for their safety as we need to be able to see faces at all times to ensure that no one is on campus who does not belong there. The costumes have to be within the rules of our dress code, and they have to be appropriate: no cross-dressing, no plastic weapons, etc. 

As for candy and parties, we are reminded as teachers to be cognizant of allergies. The school is not allowed to provide non-healthy options, but the students often share with each other. We just need to be sure this does not harm any children with allergies in our classrooms. We also do not have "Halloween" parties in our classrooms. 

This year they will be doing a fundraiser to auction off the staff who volunteer and also the students, with our permission on the costume, to choose the costume we wear on Halloween. We also have a parade of costumes during lunch.  

There isn't really a discussion of it as a pagan holiday as it has been adopted culturally. Students are not forced to participate, and many high school students choose not to.