The Milford Public Schools district in Connecticut completely banned Halloween activities in order to be “inclusive” to the kids from the few families who didn’t celebrate it.
(In other words: The traditional American Halloween experience that children have enjoyed for decades has been banished in order to make sure that absolutely no one ever has to feel a little left out ever.)
Victoria Johannsen, the mother of a third-grader at Live Oaks School, told the Connecticut Post that she heard about the policy in a letter from the principal. The letter, she said, announced that there would not be Halloween parades at the elementary schools because of “numerous incidents of children being excluded from activities due to religion, cultural beliefs, etc.”
According to the Post, the letter also stated that any classroom activities would have to be “fall themed, not Halloween, and food is not an option.”
What exactly is so offensive about food remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that many parents are not happy about the new rules.
#share#In fact, at the time of publication, nearly 1,200 people had signed a Change.org petition demanding that the parade be reinstated:
“This is just not right,” states the petition, written by Rebecca Lilley of Milford. “Growing up in America there are certain traditions and celebrations we have become accustomed to celebrating at home and during school!”
“Our children should not miss out on our traditional activities due to people crying they’re offended,” it continues. “Tell me how children smiling dressing up as a cartoon character, a doctor, a super hero is offensive?”
#related#Many of the petition’s supporters suggested that schools could have simply planned an extra activity for the few kids who didn’t celebrate rather than ruin the fun for everyone:
“If anything, they should be asking the people who feel excluded what they like to do, and having a party for them,” said Heather Sharpe, whose kids had attended the school in the past and participated in Halloween activities during that time
“I now have nieces and nephews who won’t be able to experience that,” she said. “Everything has gotten to the point where everything has gotten so P.C. that kids are not allowed to have any fun any more.”