Illustration of students dressed in various Halloween costumes sitting at their desks

35% of Americans didn't celebrate Halloween last year. (Source: National Retail Federation)

Illustration by R.J. Matson; Shutterstock.com (background, candy); Debate photos courtesy of families

Should Schools Celebrate Halloween?

October 31, 2022

On October 31, you won’t find any princesses or superheroes roaming the hallways in public elementary schools in East Lansing, Michigan. That’s because the district eliminated Halloween festivities last year. Dori Leyko, the district superintendent, says school celebrations were stressful for some students and families.

“Some students did not celebrate Halloween and instead stayed home from school,” she explains. “The district has been focusing on providing inclusive activities for all students.”

Leyko points out that the district didn’t cancel Halloween. It just ended parties in school.

Not everyone wants to keep ghosts and unicorns out of schools, though. Some people say schools should celebrate Halloween just as they do many other popular holidays. They argue that dressing up in costumes gives kids a break from the usual school day and allows them to show off their creativity.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

I like seeing everyone dressed up for Halloween at school. Wearing costumes lets kids show their personalities, especially kids who usually wear uniforms to school, like I do. Celebrating Halloween in school also gives kids a chance to wear their costumes more than once. There’s no harm in wearing them in class as long as they’re not inappropriate or too scary.

Learning doesn’t need to stop on Halloween. Some teachers come up with creative math and writing activities that connect with the holiday.

Some students don’t celebrate Halloween because of religious or cultural reasons, so they could feel excluded. How would you feel if your class were having a party and you couldn’t participate? Kids who do celebrate Halloween but don’t bring in costumes might also feel ostracized, or left out.

My school used to have a Halloween parade. Somebody wore a scary costume that made people uncomfortable. Students should have a good time at school celebrations, not feel stressed out.