Why some schools have been spooked out of Halloween

Religion, politics and student participation are all among the reasons some schools have abandoned Halloween celebrations that put candy-filled children in bulky costumes in classrooms.  

Oct. 31 parties and costume contests have been eliminated or somehow reformed at multiple districts over the years, but efforts have not gone without pushback, showing the increasing cultural and religious considerations schools face. 

“They have a lot they have to balance," said Leandra Parris, who serves on the board of the National Association of School Psychologists. "They're constantly having to balance the rights of all of the students against, also, being fair and open, and it really kind of gets complicated."

The Houston Independent School District (ISD), the largest in Texas, announced for the second year in a row restrictions on Halloween costumes and celebrations, telling schools festivities need to be limited to under an hour and tied to an instructional goal, the Houston Chronicle reported. Middle school and high school students are banned from wearing costumes, while elementary school students can with restrictions.  

An informal social media poll by Education Week found 27 percent of educators say their schools do not allow costumes, while 67 percent do. 

And the holiday also has passionate defenders.

As a mother of 5 boys, Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, said her sons “still really look forward to Halloween, and it's such a rite of passage for kids that it seems like a really weird fight to pick.” 

While she recognizes administrators are looking to be inclusive and considerations need to be made for others, Halloween celebrations at schools are “part of American culture as well.” 

"I think there's ways to be inclusive without being exclusive to others that look forward to this as a tradition that we've long had in the United States,” Rodrigues said. 

One of the biggest concerns schools face is religious differences. Jehovah's Witnesses and some sects of Judaism, Islam and Christianity reject Halloween celebrations and wearing costumes for it.

“Halloween observances can create unintentional barriers,” said Sandra Chafouleas, distinguished professor and co-director of the University of Connecticut’s Collaboratory on School and Child Health, adding, “The concerns are all centered around how schools make sure that they're a place where every students and staff feel that they belong.” 

A cancellation in New Jersey back in 2023 got lots of media attention after the school district of South Orange and Maplewood ended all Halloween celebrations. 

One of the schools in the district, Seth Boyden Elementary School, had canceled the holiday since 2015, citing high absenteeism rates and low participation among students who did come to school. The school has tried to offer fun autumnal alternatives.

"Students come, they pick pumpkins, they decorate pumpkins. [The fall festival] is a just great time for the families to get together and celebrate the fall, and our community,” said Shannon Glander, principal of Seth Boyden, ABC News 7 New York reported at the time. 

Concerns also arise over the costumes themselves, as administrators try to avoid gore or outfits that can inhibit learning, while still respecting students' First Amendment rights.

“When it comes to costumes, the things that schools have to maintain is what is called the Tinker standard. It was set back in the late '60s by a court case that basically says that [schools] cannot infringe on the rights of the students in terms of free speech and religion and things like that, unless what the student is doing or wearing or saying is violating the rights of other students, which is kind of harder to talk about or to really prove,” said Parris. 

The cost of costumes can also be a burden for some families if children feel obliged to participate. The National Retail Foundation said consumers spent more than $3 billion on costumes last year.

“When you have these costume requirements, you're focusing on economic disparities, right? So not everybody can afford costumes,” Chafouleas said.

And far from the smallest concern is the struggle teachers face trying to get rowdy kids in funny costumes to focus when they know a Halloween parade or an impending mountain of candy is coming their way. 

"Teachers talk about how difficult Halloween is. Kids can get very excited ... there can be some behavioral issues and distractions, but you need to balance that on the other side that this is really important to kids,” said Jennifer Fredricks, a professor of psychology at Union College.  

“Kids are bored, they don't like coming to school, and this is really a way to build community, and it can be important to kids,” she added.