Seattle Elementary School Bans Halloween Costumes

A Seattle school has banned students from celebrating a new holiday this year: Halloween.

Lafayette Elementary School has decided to not allow students to dress up in costume for Halloween this year. {snip}

The decision was first reported by the district (Seattle Public Schools) as being a preventative measure in the event that Halloween costumes could offend and upset students who come from other cultures. Dozens of parents complained to the school over the measure demanding a detailed explanation.

Lafayette’s principal, Shauna Heath, e-mailed media outlets, including The West Seattle Blog, arguing the decision was made because of the limited instructional time that falls on Halloween this year. Seattle Public Schools observe a half-day of instruction on Wednesday, October 31.

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“I was just really sad and I had to fight back tears,” fourth-grader Leilani Nitkey told KCPQ-TV.

CBS affiliate KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reports the school announced it will be hosting a “Harvest Party” in lieu of a costume party.

One parent told The Seattle Time that earlier in the week a school vice principal told him the costumes were banned because observing Halloween might be offensive to some students, but the school said that wasn’t the case.

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