First off I have two children enrolled in Skokie district 69. The decision to cancel Halloween is a sad statement on this district. Halloween is the one time of the year where children are allowed to express their creative spirit. These schools spend the majority of the year regulating the children and crushing their individuality. With art classes at a minimum the creativity and imagination of these children is completely strunted. It's well known that children learn through play. Creative children like mine make their costumes from simple items around the home. There is no need to purchase expensive items.
These schools feel that crushing another mode of expression for the 95% of the children who "dress up" is good practice. Halloween is a unique cultural event to this country and poses no threat to religious groups. I can't speak to the religious pressure that Quintin Shepherd faced, but his decision to unilaterally cancel the holiday speaks well on his poor judgement.
We have received a yearly letter from school district 69 informing us of it's failing status. Clamping down on the creative expression of these children by reducing art classes or personal expression is directly related to the poor test results. These children are treated like drones who spend most of their time learning to take achievement tests.
On October 31st we'll take a personal day with my children away from school expressing ourselves through costume and possible satan worshiping.

I strongly disagree with the decision to take away the celebration of Halloween. Mr. Sheperd, you FAILED to speak to the rest of us about this ban. If I get a 95% in a test, I am happy, If I see a product with a 95% approval, I buy it. I guess 95% participation in Halloween is not enough! If I wanted my child to attend a religious school, he would not be attending district 69. My kids are learning to adapt to our diverse community. Just because we don't agree with someones cultural traditions or religion, we don't try to change them or see our ways. We accept our neighbors, friends, coworkers and all others as they are. If we believe in Halloween, it's all because of the fun of dressing up and candy and that is it!
We will also be taking a personal day on October 31st. I would not want to run into anyone who would offend me during my celebration!

"So, the reason we didn’t go forward with the community hearings is because we knew they would be upset.”

Really!? Thank you for making a big decision like this without the communities input. I too will have my children stay at home and we WILL celebrate Halloween. I'm going to imagine that you will see an even LARGER attendance drop with this new law. Counter productive if you ask me. Perhaps you should have asked the community what they thought.

It's great to see I'm not alone in my disgust. I believe there is a petition circulating to reinstate halloween. Regardless I believe there will be a gathering at Laurel park adjacent to the school for the kids to express themselves.

What time will the gathering take place?? Would love to come and bring my children to this event!!!

Thanksgiving is next.

I can not believe that they took this away from the kids of district 69, I could understand high school but the younger ones that look forward to dressing up. I agree with the previous parent I wanted my child to go to a religious school I would have sent my child to a religious school. People should know they will encounter diversity and different beliefs everywhere what are you teaching our kids with banning Halloween in district 69? I did not recall seeing an email on a meeting to vote on this if o had I would had been there to vote. I will be taking a personnel day on October 31.

Is there no end to politically correct!
On October 1st Dist 69 announced there will be no Halloween celebrations in the schools.
Because it offends certain religious and other groups.
100’s of children will not be able to dress up and march in their traditional Halloween parade.
Schools have taken away other holiday recognitions as well.
Banned the Pledge of allegiance to our flag and country, and have omitted the word god.
They have changed the words to many songs for the same reason or have banned them.
Yet we walk into to our schools and see children representing their religions and other beliefs by wearing clothing that gives them their rights. Weather you believe in something or not is it correct to ban it? Is it right to suppress it? My children grew up reciting the pledge of allegiance every morning and recognizing all holidays without question in our schools. As had been done for generations. There was an American flag hung in every class room prominently in the front of the room next to the chalkboard.
And yes every October 31st my children with much anticipation and joy brought their Halloween costumes to school to wear and march through the neighborhood near school, ate cupcakes decorated with ghosts, ate candy wrapped with pictures of spooky things. What a horrible parent I was to let them be exposed to such offensive traditions.

Added note: "Many children can't afford costumes" is a load of nonsense. I see these same children in expensive name brand jeans and shoes costing far more than my budget can afford.

Activities at Laurel Park should begin around 3pm. This is an informal get together of parents and children, but we would love to spread the news and see other parents and children participate. Laurel Park is a great place to congregate and has a perfect sidewalk perimeter to let the kids crate their own parade and march around the neighborhood. Having peaceful public assemblies is another empowering activity that is taken from the children when they remove Halloween tradition.

Totally disagree with not allowing the kids to celebrate Halloween. I thought we live in a Democratic society, but it seems the administration thinks otherwise.

I am very upset to see that religious beliefs can dictate public school policy. We have always suspected that the school superintendents were over paid for the job they do and actions like this confirm it.

I applaud any parents who keep their children home on that day. Let the school know that the reason for the absence was due to “family values” which are not consistent with school policy.

How is it that these few people were heard over the majority? Maybe the school district needs to be flooded with letters and emails.

Maybe the parents that think that Halloween should be celbrated in school, should all keep there kids home that day.
If there are a total of 2,000 students that do to the three schools, if you can get about 1,100 kids to be kept out of school, then the remaining 900 kids would be in school but it would not count as a day of attendance because over 50% are the students are out.
From how I see it, this is more about being politcally correct than anything else. If a jewish child goes to a catholic private school, they are not expected to go to the religious classes, These kids go to other classes. The private school does not say since some of the kids do not participate in the religious classes, we are going to cancel the religious classes for all.

If a child does come to school in a costume, what is the school going to do, suspend or expel the student?
Maybe all the parents that bring there children to school, should all dress in costume. This way they can show that they disagree with the cancelling of Halloween.

While I dont like the word, "ban" placed on the holiday, I can understand the reasonings behind it. Personally, my kids always begged me for a new costume every year while in dist 69 and the past 2 years have been a struggle in this economy to get them. Now they are finally in dist 219 and I dont need to worry about costumes. Someone mentioned seeing kids in designer jeans and gym shoes. Well those werent my kids. We would be at the point now of deciding which is needed more, costumes or food. This is a "halmark holiday" as far as I'm concerned. Its not needed or necessary. Built in to spend money on cards and candy. Most of our kids dont need it, nor do we. I wont stop others from celebrating it if they want but I dont see the need to do this in the schools. An after-school party would have been a better thing to offer though for those wanting to stay and dress up. Parents could then have signed up to help and bring in candy and goodies. You all have the choice to have separate parties as well at your homes for the kids. I did that myself one year when we didnt necessary celebrate evil or make believe things, we celebrated science.

wrong... Christmas/Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc are all real holidays to be celebrated, enjoyed and respected within the schools and our homes. You can actually learn something from all of them. Halloween is not. Grandparents day is not. Sweetest day is not.

Halloween is a real holiday. If it wasn't then why are so many people upset? The school district did not seek community input on this one and they are in the wrong. But you are entitled to your opinion and I respect that.

I really hope the community bands together on this one and does something at Laurel Park as suggested by David.

My kids have NEVER had store bought costume. It has been a teaching tool for learning how to be creative and resourceful. The financial reason for this ban is nonsense. It is an American tradition that shouldn't be a political pawn.

Religious?!? Really??? Halloween has been a pagan celebration for over 200 years and NOW it's religiously offensive? What about some members of our society that dress in what appear to be costumes all year? The idea is FUN but again the government has gotten in the way of a harmless festive time. Cancel Prom and Homecoming too because the way some of these people dress is also insulting and religiously offensive to a select few.

How would the district like a 95% absent rate on that day. Sounds like he is being a coward to not have brought this to the community first

I never wore a costume to school on Halloween. Only when trick or treating. I don't see why this is a big deal. Now don't get me started on the no hats rule. I never understood that.

I 'm neutral...In our family we don't celebrate Halloween, we celebrate Harvest because of my Christian (Pentecostal) Religion. I do however allow my child to wear a positive costume, ie...Waldo, Astronaut, to his school party so he won't feel left out. Remember these are children building and creating memories. Have room parents set-up and plan the parties. Host a parade around the perimeter of the school or gym. All this is innocent. If children can't afford a costume have them make a paper mask. Get treats from the dollar store, I do, or cut up some carrots and send a healthy snack. Things are financially tight in our household so my child will be a "sCARECROW" for halloween. (raiding the closets)

I don't let religion stop me from doing something that I feel is innocent. I embrace the children who approach my door. I offer a positive remark about their costumes and I hand them a bag of treats along with a coloring page saying Celebrate the Harvest or connect the dots (of a scarecrow) that reads, connect the dots to see who keeps birds from eating our crop....IN HOPES OF LEAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THEIR LIVES...

I think the district needs to research the roots of Halloween. There was an old special showing it dates back to Egypt. Are they going to ban Valentine's Day? We live in a secular society and as a secular school, religion should not come it to play. If a family objects the school should have a safe option - another room or the kids get to stay home.
I think we need to all dress up and march around the school at the next board meeting.

A friend posted the link to this petition - https://www.change.org/petitions/skokie-school-district-69-reinstate-the-halloween-celebration-at-school.
Halloween is one of the few child based celebrations. We live in the USA, this is our celebration. I seriously hope other Skokie districts don't follow suit. Downtown Skokie will also have events, here is their link www.downtownskokie.com

I guess when close to half your school district is no longer Irish you stop celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Europeans haven't immigrated to the United States for 70 years. Others have been, steadily, since the 1960's. It's the changing face of the American public.

How backwater.

What a change! Years ago the school would pass out small coin cartons and ask the students to collect money for Unicef http://www.unicef.org/ . The idea was to collect money for their cause while Trick or Treating. Everyone did it. I remember all the houses I went to had trays filled with coins just for the kids that had the containers. When the containers were full we would turn them in to our teachers and the school would forward the money to Unicef.

As students each year we had to attend a presentation in the school auditorium on what Unicef was and how we needed to help. The students were actually raising money for an independent organization.

All of these activities took place during classroom time while the teachers were being paid with tax dollars and now we complain about costumes and some social activity?

The administration comment about the economy and those who cannot afford a costume is utterly ridiculous. The real costume is about creativity and expression, not expense. It is a great "teachable moment." Yet, we would seek to eliminate that teachable moment, creativity and other important skills.

I don't celebrate a lot of holidays but that doesn't mean I shouldn't understand and respect them and enjoy them. Instead of being more inclusive we are becoming less. I thought the country was about tolerance, not the opposite.

Is this really an economic issue? Skokie is always updating and remodeling (especially Niles North) and it's the home of Old Orchard. People seemed pretty well-off, I didn't know residents had it THAT bad.

This is the 2nd most absurd thing I've heard come out of Skokie yet.
The 1st being D219 suing taxpayers.
I don't even have kids in this district. But if I did, I'd pull them out today.
Are my property taxes paying this goof to be Superintendent?

Celebrating Halloween in schools has nothing to do with religion.
It's about children being children. This is certainly not the way to teach them tolerance.
And what is a "social reason"? If anything, any school celebration promotes a social atmosphere of inclusion.
At my Chicago grade school in the `60s, teachers helped make costumes for those that couldn't afford them. So there is no economic argument.
What does it cost the district to hold an dress-up assembly in the school for one day, if everyone involved is there already anyway?
By D69's rationale, Christmas cannot be celebrated in any fashion in school either.
How do teachers handle Santa questions?
If a parent chooses to not let their child participate for any reason, then that is their call to not assimilate into what existed prior.
Not running it by the parents as a whole for the reasons stated, will backfire.
Shepard should start looking for a gig now.
Maybe he can luck out like Lincolnwood's ex did.

This is the worst kind of liberalism. Hurting the majority, in an effort to avoid possibly offending a small minority. All it does is build resentment in the community. I think the real reason is that they don't want poor kids feeling bad. This is more proof that poor children should not be forced into a community, via HUD and public housing, if you are going to ruin it for everyone else. I think it is now officially fair to set up communities that aren't open to everyone, if this is the end result.

The idea that this is based in liberalism is a stretch to say the least. The first place I ever heard of Halloween being banned was in rural Michigan, hardly a bastion of liberalism.

This decision is not political or religious, though everyone obsesses on both. This decision is cultural. Our culture used to believe in letting kids be kids. Now our culture believes in play dates and insurance policies. There is always someone ruining the fun, and the excuse usually involves liability.

All you people complaining about "banning" Halloween will be back shortly to complain that the schools don't educate the kids well enough because test scores are too low. Which is it? Parties and candy or education? I don't see why we need to "celebrate" Halloween at school. I don't think that any lack of fun has much to do with liability here either.

If the banning of Halloween festivities is based on religious beliefs then absolutely no other religious holiday should be celebrated during the school year.

Religious? Kids not being able to afford a costume?

Wow. Where did you grow up? My single mom always made me a costume....and we had no money. And I don't know who thinks of Halloween as any sort of "religious" holiday - do tell, what religion practices Halloween (maybe Wiccan?)?

Sign this petition to bring back Halloween!

http://www.change.org/petitions/skokie-school-district-69-reinstate-the-halloween-celebration-at-school?utm_campaign=new_signature&utm_medium=email&utm_source=signature_receipt#share

Liability can't be an issue. They have already eliminated masks, weapons or gory costumes in previous years. This is a small sect of religious parents banning together to take control of the school. I don't care if it's muslim, christian or hebrew. It's ignorance and foolishness to think that learning only happend strapped to a desk. It's certainly not liberalism as only a conservative would think to ban social issues.
Halloween could have easily been used as a teaching moment. Costumes could have been made in art class. The history of the holiday taught, or stories related of it's harvest relevance. I truly believe that allowing the children to express themselves was too much for the administration. This is a school system based on crushing the individual and killing the creative mind. What good is learning to pass a test is the child is devoid of any personality or creative drive. Do the research, creative children do better in school. Most people outside the system don't even know that "sign up" is required for recess activities. It's a Brave New World in Skokie.

Thank you Tom Gross!

It strikes me that Quintin Shepard and at least some of his Staff and some of the parents that he discussed this with have forgotten what it's like to be a child. Maybe these folks should sit down close their eyes and think back to when they were kids. I think that since professionally Quintin and his Staff relate to children on a regular basis it would be a good idea to think about this every once and a while.

We need to hold our administrators more accountable than we have in the past. Obviously stories like this help that happen, but some of these people are just so far removed from accountability that they run at their mouth. This guy should have simply said it was a decision made in the best interest of the school district. Instead he had to justify himself, albeit without public discourse, and in turn shifted this into a religious debate. Shame on him.

Land of the free and home of the brave? Not with these clowns at the helm. This is as anti-America as it comes. (And not because of the underlying holiday in question)

Will Christmas follow? This is not fair to the children who believe and are used to celebrating Halloween.

Chela

As a teacher (not in Skokie), I can understand the pressure of losing a day to celebrate a holiday that will not help my students do well on the big achievement tests (which affect how people view our community). No one is saying that students should not celebrate Halloween, just don't do within the walls of a center of education.
However, I do agree that decisions should be made with the whole community's input; not just the loudest.

Our techers didn't lose a day. They lost two hours. The Halloween celebration was lunch hour 'til 3.

The bottom line is the Superintendent arbitrarily made a decision that affects all, with little or no data to back it up. No poll was taken of the parents in advance.
From where is he pulling his 5% attendance drop figure?
And how many chronological years in comparison were used to arrive at it?

His implication is that parents who can't afford costumes or don't allow their children to celebrate, are by choice keeping their kids home deliberately instead.
Which in either case is a problem that should have been addressed with well though out alternatives. Not just eliminated by an administrator who thinks "it just sort of adds up".
Hopefully this issue will haunt his career..,

Well not days we cant say marry christmas " happy holidays" but happy Halloween is fine? ha

We also have students that are unable to participate for religious or cultural reasons.
If they hate American culture and customs so much, Why do they come here?
And why should we bow down to them?
I imigrated here 40+ years ago..I never asked anyone to change for me.

i too will be staying home to celebrate on halloween mr. shepard need to get his priorities straight we are a failing school district with several families that i know moving to wilmette where yes they still do halloween parties and parade and have wonderful academics and wonderful after school classes too what do we have well my child has started the last 3 years in district 69 learning 2 +2 math even though he can do fractions and beyond they still start all the students every year at the same elementary math no wonder we are failing he need to give us back halloween give us back our birthday cupcakes and start concentrating on getting our education standards up to par not worrying about making a few people feel comfortable I will be plenty happy this halloween eating cupcakes and candy dressed up as a witch feeding anyone goodies who wants to skip school and get the orange flu to show mr shepard we are not happy with his dictatorship of district 69. p.s. i can also help anyone who cannot afford a costume how to make one

I think this ban is giving the superintendent his 15 minutes. He didn't want to waste time in getting our input? There is politically correct and then there is just pathetic. And this is just pathetic.

I like to know one thing. Who gave this guy the power to cancled Halloween in the District. Sure he can ban it from the schools but if you live in the District he can not ban you from doing it out side the school. And he knew the community would be up set he does not have te power to ban it from your town he can only ban it at the school.

What lame-brained nonsense! Mr. Shepherd, you're an embarrassment.

I am sure that the parents who nagged Mr. Shepherd into cancelling Holloween sounded just as shrill and hyper-critical as some of the people on this blog. He is not perfect, and neither are our schools, but our schools are excellent.

no mr iverson our schools are no longer excellent they used to be when my teenager went through he is a honor student and loved school my younger child

has been bored to tears for the last 4 years never really learning always boring kindergarten stuff they have not progressed at all with teaching so i do have first hand knowledge as to how it has deteriorated over the years you might not see that since you no longer have little ones in the system

The district may change their stance. Read our latest update here:

http://skokie.patch.com/articles/can-halloween-be-revived-in-d-69-only-if

Best,

George

Here’s an Idea ban all holidays, make our schools one big grey blob.
I have read all the posts from the statement
Halloween is pure evil to too much energy has been put into this blog.
I have read about dist 73.5 that has a winter concert where there is no mention of Christmas but the children sing about Hanukkah a bit one sided to one group how dare they cater to one and not all.
I feel that too many have missed the point of this opposition to banning Halloween.
1st Halloween then another holiday and yet another . It is not the majority here that is offended by this celebration , which by the way has in reality evolved more into a celebration of fall and a transition in to winter. For those who are offended by this tradition due to religious or even atheist beliefs, They should have their children in an environment that supports their beliefs … Yes Private School! Public school servers the public meaning all children of all backgrounds and beliefs without catering to one or 2 groups but representing all. What is next after holidays … Banning books? Ban teaching history? Because history is very offensive to many religious groups and beliefs. This is so much more than Halloween it is control and dictating what children will be allowed to be exposed to in our public schools.
Certainly not a well rounded education.

I consider myself a conservative Christian, but that's my choice and a choice we do as a family. What other people want to do is their choice too. We don't celebrate Halloween for many different reasons, my hubby is from Europe, where this is not celebrated at all, it scares our kids, and also for our own personal choice. I would never expect the schools though to make a decision like this. We just send our kids for part of that day, then when it's time for costume dress up, we pick them up out of school early. No big deal! Their friends know we don't celebrate, they're used to it, and we just celebrate the Harvest time with pumpkin decorating. I don't think it's fair for "conservative christians" to be lumped into the cause of this happening. It's our freedom of choice, and I would never impose that on anyone. His decision would have been a tough one, and I think it's very wrong that he didn't involve the entire school. The school is supposed to represent your community and everyone should have had a vote in the decision. Just like your church represents your community, and all the congregation there is supposed to have a vote too! This too me sends poor decision making to our children, and we must also be careful on how we respond to this decision because we set the examples for them in "everything" we say and do.

Halloween, no matter its origins, is no longer a religious holiday of any sort. It is -- and has been since at least the early sixties -- a night of fun and escape not only for the young, but for the young at heart. To think otherwise is a belief structure that has no basis in reality.

I think a lot of people are forgeting the fact that this ban is effecting the town not just the school. Mr. Shepherd noted he did not seek input from the community as a whole. This shows his ban is to ban it in the town not just the school and he does not have that kind of power.

If, indeed politiical correctness is driving this, then all we are teaching our children is intolerance. Halloween, Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving Holiday, etc. are all American holidays. If they were good enough for my grandparents -- who sacrificed dearly to come here, then they will continue to be good enough for my grandchildren.

I'm a teacher at Madison. I can understand why so many of you are angry. At first, I admit that the teaching staff was shocked and many upset too. However, after thinking quite a bit about it- I think that Dr. Shepard's point is a good one- No child should feel like they can't come to school, ever. With this being said, I think Dr. Shephard should have calmed all of your fears by stating that the schools can still celebrate some sort of harvest festival activities on Oct. 31st. Most teachers DO plan on doing this. We can celebrate autumn, without adding in the costumes and pagan-based rituals of Halloween. The principal at Madison is also allowing any parents to come in after school, and have a costume parade right after school hours. I think that fall festival activities combined with after school hours costume parade is a good compromise- ONe that allows ALL groups to feel welcomed and accepted. In my opinion, this is the goal of American public education, no? If you are interested in helping to volunteer for the after school costume parade, please contact your child's teacher.

@JellyBean1, you don't seem to get it.
There should not have to be a compromise after the fact, for an overreaching decision that was not brought to parents & teachers in the first place.
It was Mr. Shepard forcing his will on all, with no discussion in advance with the majority that it impacted.

Your statement "No child should feel like they can't come to school, ever." Completely glosses over the fact that it's their parents who kept them home.
Thus teaching their own kids intolerance to existing traditions.
It is those parent's jobs to assimilate their children into what currently exists.
Do you think school kids of that age are actually fully tuned into their own family's religious, cultural & economic situations?
They just know they see costumes on TV, & around town leading up to Halloween.
It's about kids, costumes and candy. Plus they outgrow it anyway.
So they're not permanently scarred.

Why does "pagan based rituals" keep getting repeated by everyone?
Rename it "Harvest/Fall Festival activities"???
How is after school any different than during school, if the same parents are going to keep them home from "One that allows all groups to feel welcomed and accepted." anyway.
They were already accepted. Their parents chose to not let them participate.

@JellyBean1, your statement: "With this being said, I think Dr. Shepard should have calmed all your fears by stating that the schools can still celebrate some sort of harvest festival activities on Oct. 31st." is borderline condescending.
It implies that everyone who opposes his highly questionable action, is somehow reacting in fear instead of using our own logical thinking.

Everything you said should be in a P.C. handbook: "harvest festival activities/celebrate autumn (without costumes) & fall festival activities"
Then you offer up "after school hours costume parades", part of the Halloween tradition, but yet not supposed to be associated with it.
When obviously it would be.

Why should "some sort of" anything be created in lieu of what already exists?
It is to create the imagery that Dr. Shepard be perceived as the voice of reason, and that all others should just compromise.

As a teacher we understand you have to tow the company line.
But please don't try to make it sound as if you now see the light, and we don't.
Asking anyone to volunteer as if the issue is over, implies one's acceptance of what is unacceptable.

Hey Mr. Zornig,
I am sorry I offended you. I do understand why you are so upset. I agree with you that AMerican schools have become very P.C, and I also question what we lose by taking away old fashioned AMerican traditions.
On the otherhand, I also have talked with parents who feel very differently about this than me. Should people all assimilate to agree with me? Should I change so not to offend them? It is a good discussion worth having, one that perhaps should have happened with the community at large before this change. From what I've observed, I think that Dr. shepard is open to this discussion. I do think Dr. Shepard has good intentions. THe man sends his own children attend D69 schools, so this decision personally affects his family too.
No matter what anyone's opinion on this hot topic, I hope that people(both parents and teachers) are keeping the anger out of discussions in front of kids.. I saw that one person(not you Mr. Zornig) on one of these Halloween threads created a website with demeaning pictures of Dr. Shephard with various derogatory comments. If children get their hands on this, it will spread. It is difficult to teach children about anti-bullying and character development when adults in the community model this sort of behavior when angry. I hope that the school and parents can come together and find an acceptable solution in a respectful manner.

I wish the Superintendant did not cancel Halloween, and I hope he reverses it, because my family is disappointed. But I still feel that the people who nagged him into his decision sounded a lot like the people who are commenting on this blog.
Dear JellyBean1, I am sure you know this, but most people I know love and appreciate our schools and teachers.

@JellyBean1, you did not offend me, nor am I upset.
I simply responded to your post fully. It just took 2 posts because of Patch's word limit.

If your question is what we lose by taking away old fashioned American traditions, it is the traditions themselves. They then become history, and no are longer traditions.
Traditions lost due to a questionable process.
Since Dr. Shepard's 3 reasons are bundled, it's impossible to discuss now except on an item by item basis. But he'll have the advantage since he already acted on his version.

Your statement: "It is a good discussion worth having, one that (perhaps) should have been discussed with the community at large before this change.", should have read "absolutely."
Saying Dr, Shepard is (now) open to discussion, implies he acted properly.
Dr. Shepard cannot lay claim to good intentions, if he acted on pressure by few, and did not publicly share the information with all in advance of making a decision.
There are 2 problems here. What he did, and the way he did it.

I agree comments should remain civil.
Websites like the one you described, undermine rational discussion about the subject.
My own euphemisms have even been questioned. I am trying to be more careful now.

Mr. Zornig,
You make a good point about traditions making history. I feel that this whole discussion makes an excellent topic for debate, in the old fashioned exchange of ideas kind of way. America prides itself on being a melting pot nation that is accepting to all cultures. However, are there common traditions that underly a uniquely American culture? If so, what are they? What is the role of public schools in creating/preserving a distinctly AMerican culture? What if a group within the school can not participate for various reasons? When you get right down to it, at it's heart this Halloween topic begs the question "what is the role of public education?" Is the role of public schools to instill more than reading, writing, and arithmetic? If so, what shared values/traditions to we want to teach our children? Who gets to decide?
I personally love debating online, but I have found that rarely is online debate a productive forum to come to concensus- partly due to the lost nuances of face-face body language and tone of voice, partly due to the sense of anononimity that frees many to write things they would never say face-face.
cont on next bubble :)

In my opinion, having the freedom to state your opinion and to debate rationally without persecution is one of the best American traditions that we have. Having the ability to openly disagree with an elected leader's(or elected board appointed in this case) decision is also another American tradition, in my opinion.

As a community, let's debate it openly, and face-face, in a way that teaches our children how to do it. They watch what we do more than what we say. October 16th, 7:30PM is the next school board meeting.
Now speaking of traditions, I hope that everyone enjoys Columbus day off tommorrow with your children.

What this ban is teaching is intolerance. By embracing the traditions of many different origins, cultures and religions we teach tolerance. We teach and show by example acceptance. By banning one or all we teach not to be accepting of cultural and religious beliefs other than our own. If you look at the big picture and what is happening in our world today as well as history this breeds hate and yes war.
Exposure to Diversity of race religion and culture teaches our children and hopefully re-teaches our children's parents that our world has many differences and it is in the acceptance of all these differences that makes our world an interesting and good place to be. It teaches us how to get along and coexist despite these differences. This in its self is one of the best educations any child can receive.
What a sad statement for any one to make, that they will not participate because it does not foster or mirror their belief. They have now taught intolerance! A lesson no child should ever be given.

The arrogance of the administration of this school district to act on something without consulting the community is mind-numbing. Halloween is not a religious holiday. That some parents decide not to participate for religious reasons is their right and I don't argue with them. But their right not to participate does not mean that the rest of the community cannot and should not do things that this small minority objects to. If that were the case, no one could do anything.

The students whose parents don't want them to participate in Halloween will live in a culture that celebrates Halloween for the rest of their lives. They need to learn that it's OK not to participate and to be secure in their beliefs. That's their parents' job to teach them that. The school should support that, but not by denying the rest of the kids a joyful part of their own culture.

Thanks to schools celebrating Halloween when I was a kid, I was introduced to Tootsie Roll Pop ghosts (TRPs covered with white tissues held on with string collars and they have faces drawn on them. They're so cute!)

Why suck the fun out of school? I'm still a student, and as I look back into my academic history, I appreciate the celebrations in my elementary classrooms. Through my experience as a first-generation American, I learned about American culture through the education system in Skokie. Celebrating the holidays in schools were no exception, it helped me feel less alienated. It's a celebration for the children to appreciate one another and have fun as a community. I understand the concerns of students' families, but Halloween isn't a religious or political holiday; it's about having fun. I think people get so sensitive nowadays but I see Halloween as a completely secular holiday, and it was never meant to be offensive. Halloween is meant to be inclusive of all vampires and ghouls alike, not polarize them.

I don't see how we can celebrate halloween after school ,if the school doesn't celebrate halloween they are going to give you a regular amount days homework with takes about all the time after school and we can't stay up later because we have school the next day so when do they think we can celebrate Halloween,this is why we celebrate halloween during school. A hoilday is any day annually celebrated by a culture or religion and that a history and tradition the goverment has no right to tell what days we can or can't not celebrate.Halloween in particilar we should get off on because our nation created the mondern traditions we know today and is the only country that celebrates it today shouldn't we have off in honar of that.In this day in age it is a day that celebrated by all ages there is vas things you can all ages can do to celebrate ,but we can't celebrate on 31 if it's a week day because we don't have the day off and we can't celebrate at night because don't have next day off.No one should have the right to deprive of anyone of celebrateing Halloween ,It is one of this nation annul day on celebration with history and traditions not just a hallmark hoilday.

Don't you think the kids work enough? Halloween is once a year. Come on, let them have fun. Why would they "worship the devil" if this is a religious school? Make it about the fun, candy and costumes! Let the party go on! We aren't children forever!

Religion is poison. Stop forcing your kids to miss-out on what intelligent parents allow theirs to enjoy. Your kids are too old for fairy tale stories.

So, there are more kids who don't celebrate Halloween, is that fair to the kids that do? And if more kids don't celebrate Christmas, than do, then what District 69? Cancel Christmas? Where do you draw the line?

I'd like to write an article about this topic on Foxnews.com If anyone would like to make a comment that I can use as a quote--especially those going to/went to the protest at the park, please email me at Ruth.Ravve@Foxnews.com thanks!

I went to CPS and my brother and daughter to Skokie schools. We never dressed up on Halloween, but had trick or treat after school. It's not necessary. We have gobs of kids come by after school into the evening. As far as creativity, growing up there was always a box of dress ups in the playroom, and silly makeup too for the kids. Creativity was not limited to Halloween. Let the teachers teach and the children learn. Halloween, and I have nothing against it, was a pagan holiday and in some countries, there were even progroms on that holiday. Here it is just a dress up day.