Parents are upset over school’s ban on Halloween

“I don’t think we’re excluding anybody”, mother Victoria Johannsen said.

Ultimately, all eight principals, with my endorsement, chose to focus their energies on a family Halloween celebration, and forego the 20 minute parade in school.

District officials told parents that they didn’t want to exclude children who could not participate in the events.

The school district’s decision was met with a public backlash, and Milford resident Rebecca Lilley started a petition on Change.org calling for the schools to reinstate the Halloween parade.

Johannsen says although she respects other people’s beliefs, the decision isn’t fair to students who cherish the parade.

This isn’t the first time a Connecticut school system moved to block Halloween celebrations.

In addition to canceling the parades, the letter stated the district is forbidding students and staff to wear Halloween costumes during the day, and decreeing that any classroom activities be “fall themed, not Halloween, and food is not an option”. Almost 1,600 people had signed the online petition as of Monday afternoon. “Growing up in America there are certain traditions and celebrations we have become accustomed to celebrating at home and during school!” wrote Lilley.

She said American customs can not be set aside because others might find them offensive.

I’m so exhausted on my kids missing out on a few of the things we all got to do as children and are a few of the greatest childhood memories I have due to others saying they find it offensive. You know the values of our building principals, their love of their children, their unwavering commitment to doing the best they can in serving them.

But Jim Richetelli, the chief operations officer for Milford Public Schools, told the paper that “The goal is for all children to feel comfortable and definitely not alienated when they come to school”.

Richetelli said there are seasonal activities this year.

“Everything has gotten to the point where everything has gotten so P.C. that kids are not allowed to have any fun any more”, she lamented.

The Milford Public School’s superintendent could not be reached for comment.