Life itself can create a "financial burden." Was Shepherd considering canceling Christmas as well? Instead of shooting first and asking qestions later, why weren't the questions asked FIRST? Since when is participation mandatory? Does throwing out the baby with the bathwater on issues like these strengthen society? I think not. Decisions like these exacerbate rather than ameliorate.

I was in 4th (or was it 5th?) grade when our beloved school principal retired retired and the new principal decided that school wide parties on Halloween and Valentine's Day had no place in her school. That was her policy and neither students nor parents had any say in the matter. Ohhhh, how we hated her. It was the Eisenhower cold war era and 1 of my buddies said that the new principal was "worse than Kruschev." (Back then that was a most heinous insult.) ☺

Halloween is not a financial burden. When we were kids some of us made our own costumes. If anything it inspired ingenuity.

What's "PTO?"

PTO is Parent Teacher Organization.....It's about time he will listen. That is how it should have started from the beginning!!!

Mr. Shepard's own words: "Our board and I are constantly seeking reflective feedback".
Reflective being the operative word. It's intended to make it look like he & the board are open minded about any subject, AFTER an action has already been taken.
Input is what should have been constantly sought, BEFOREHAND.
With numbers to back it up.

He's also bouncing all over the place, taking bits & pieces from each reason he used to justify his decision. As if the sum total was somehow enough.
Even though most of it has been shot down by common sense.
Religion & cost were just proved in this article to not be an issue.
Ironically continuing the celebrations, is what would promote cultural diversity.
He further shot himself in the foot by using a term like "religious cultural" to try and tie it all together.

Note to Patch: A pastor cannot "not permit" you to use a church name in a news article. A church can only choose to decline comment.
You are still allowed to name any & all churches you attempted to get comment from. Even if they provided none.
You in sense prevented that particular church's own parishioners, from knowing that their pastor took no stance on an issue.
Which then insulates that pastor from taking any critique from his own flock.

I'm surprised that there is such a negative reaction. Ending Halloween parties at school and using the time for Education seems like a common-sense policy, especially when we pay such high taxes to keep our schools afloat. I wish all the schools would take this approach. It's not like children will be unable to celebrate Halloween.

@Pam Defiglio, actually the Patch Terms Of Use states:
We encourage, but do not require, that the username your provide be your real name.
So you are incorrect.

I choose to use my real name, and actually agree that disrespectful usernames are inappropriate.
But you, even as the author, cannot delete comments or deem them inappropriate on the name issue alone. Until Patch changes the Terms Of Use accordingly. Which I doubt they will do, for risk of lowering readership.

@Carol, it was the manner in which Mr. Shepard made the decision that created the uproar. Not the issue of more school time spent on schoolwork. That issue was not even broached in any of the Patch articles on this subject.

I agree with u David. Pam is the head communist of patch. It's hard to make Ur point when it's Pam that determines what comments get posted. I can understand. Hateful or raciest comments being takin down. But a few of mine have been erased also. And they were tasteful coments

@Pete, I do not condone name calling either.
I was just pointing out that we should all abide by the same rules.
And Pam misquoted what the username policy actually was.
Here it is via Patch, under Registration: http://niles.patch.com/terms

No rat guy Ur comments are in order an respectful. But I could see some of the cry babies out there having a problem with Ur name. Even though I also think he is more than an idiot. He is an American sell out ,,, now I'm sure this comment will be deleted ,,,

Another group of sheltered people have come up with a harmful idea District 69 is a poor overweight typical administrative of a top heavy school system that is plaguing the nation., Boy when I was a kid all the family's from all over the world wanted to be American Now this was back in the 1950's we had little money ; lots of religion, my grandparents lived very close so Jewish culture we picked up ! Halloween is a festive Fall holiday a fun childhood experience with so many great memories why take it away ? Just Wrong next they will try to cancel Christmas cause it's too expensive!

Well Pammy did it again, she deleted all my comments and suspended my account. This is what she wrote (I think she has a crush on me):

Dear User posting under the username "quentinshepardisanidiot.wordpress.com":

Please stop using defamatory usernames. Your comments are welcome as long as they are not trashing somebody or making personal attacks. Please keep it civil, and then I will refrain from deleting your comments.

I have suspended the user account for your gmail address. If you create another username on Patch.com, please make sure it is polite--and not attacking someone or something.

You are free to criticize the school superintendent's actions--but it's not fair to call him names.

Best,
Pam

In the time honored tradition of tearing down our public officials who get too big for their britches, I've setup another site: http://quentinshepardisanidiot.wordpress.com

I promise not to be civil on that site.

Lol. That's funny !!!!

Wow David , she put you in your place. You might wana rewrite your comment leaving out the phase Shepard shot himself in the foot again. I think that insinuated he is an idiot. Oh wow did I just say that. If you are not gona condone name calling you might wana reread your comments before you pat your self on the back an post. ;)

halloween will not be reinstated the board will listen to comments to consider it for next year then next year district 69 will make halloween a teacher institute day just like the high school so they can remove the whole debate.

Exercise your right to vote and vote in a new school board which will hire a new superintendent. A board that does not solicit the input of the parents of the students, because it was instructed by the superintendent to not pay regard to the parents opinion, is a not the board we need or desire. Get involved folks and run for these boards. Your children need you!

I find it funny that the school cancelled Halloween just as the biggest new entertainment venue called Fear City.com opened up tonight in Morton Grove with pretty good sized crowd when I wend through the place. Not sure what is more frightening, the way these school boards operate and suck tax money like a hungry vampire or the haunted house I visited tonight.

He trying to over reach his powers. He can ban it in the school not the town. From a few other artcles I am reading he is calling or the ban to efect the town as a whole

I don't believe for a moment that the district is getting even feedback. That's a bs reply after this guy received advice from someone else.

"some children were uncomfortable celebrating Halloween for three years"---"Shepherd also cited some families' concerns about expenses related to Halloween costumes and treats"---"This is a cultural sensitivity thing for us--also sort of religious cultural. There are some that don't allow for the celebration of Halloween as part of the background."----Quite possibly some of the dumbest PC comments I've ever read---I feel for you D--69---you have a real winner here with your school superintendent---but I guess it's nice he's addressed the concerns of about a 6 parents

Let the kids have some fun. IT'S JUST ONE DAY! This is ridiculous.

How about asking them to vote Ham, Pepperoni, and Sausage back on the school lunch menu's? They imposed a "Pork Free District" lunch menu a number of years back which is unfair to those whose religion doesn't restrict it. How about a separate "Pork Free Option" for those who can't eat pork due to their religious dietary restrictions and a regular menu for those who aren't restricted. Doesn't seem fair to impose religious restrictions that some observe on people who don't observe them.

The only way we even remember the children's elementary school is through the shows that they put on (pictures) Choir (pictures), Halloween (pictures) and parent teacher conferences.
I don't think the real issue here is Halloween. I think the real issue is that in a world of trying to get parents and school together for the sake of the children, coopting time and resources before, during and after the school year, the administration decided to shut out parent opinion. There are alot of childrne for religious reasons who don't take certain health classes. They go to other rooms. I don't hear the school say, gee, we better not show these "health" films because of the increasing number of children whose parents don't want them to be taught about sex, homosexuals, etc. Perhaps that is next.

Why doesn't Mr Quentin Shepard also order Mexicans to stop celebrating their festival of "Las Brujas"? Why not also ban English since it was originally the language of pagans? Oh, let's not ban Political Correctness, but have an event where we bob for apples, drink apple cider, wear funny faces and say BOO to PC charlatans?