THE NEWS CHICK BLOG

‘Boo’ to a Seattle school’s Halloween costume ban

Oct 16, 2012, 4:50 PM | Updated: 6:07 pm

An elementary school in West Seattle bans Halloween costumes this year. AP file photo

Students at a public elementary in West Seattle will have to get their Halloween thrills and chills after the school day is over. Lafayette Elementary School is banning costumes this year.

Halloween school controversies rise up every year like a rickety skeleton lawn decoration.

The Seattle School district doesn’t have a policy on costumes, and instead it leaves the decision about whether to allow them up to each building.

Our local elementary school doesn’t allow costumes, but the middle school is fine with it and by high school anything goes.

One Lafayette mom, who didn’t want me to use her name, says their close-knit school community has always enjoyed Halloween and it’s a “special treat” for the kids to wear costumes to school during the day.

One kid’s treat is another kid’s distraction. The school staff had a big discussion about the issue and decided to ban costumes this year.

“It’s another case of kids not being able to be kids,” says Carl, who has two kids in the school.

Principal Shauna Heath told the West Seattle Blog in a statement they are not allowing costumes “so that we can focus on academics during the limited time we have available. The staff has committed to continuing the conversation throughout the year before deciding on what we will do in the future about Halloween celebrations.”

Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, and for Seattle Schools there is a two-hour early dismissal for students, while teachers have a half-day of professional development time.

By LINDA THOMAS, Would I be the un-cool mom if I pushed for a costume ban at my daughter’s high school? Skimpy scares me

The News Chick Blog

The wife of Seattle attorney Danford Grant moved his car away from one of the alleged crime scenes ...

No Author

Equal justice for Seattle lawyer accused of several rapes?

Has accused serial rapist Danford Grant gotten preferential treatment because both he and his wife are Seattle attorneys?

12 years ago

The Seattle-based I Can Has Cheezburger network now includes 60 humor sites. Many of their 90 emplo...

No Author

Seattle humor network, built with funny cat pictures, becomes a reality TV show

A small Internet empire with a funny name has billions of page views on its network of 60 humor websites based in Seattle. Now, I Can Has Cheezburger has a reality TV show too.

12 years ago

President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney spent a combined $30.33 every second this election cycle. Wa...

No Author

Democracy and dollar signs – 2012 campaign spending

Washington initiative campaigns spent $34 million trying to win your vote, while President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney spent a combined $30.33 every second this election cycle.

12 years ago

Chef Tom Douglas says Seattle’s restaurants are ‘a little homemade’ compared with...

No Author

Chef Tom Douglas says ‘Seattle is a funny restaurant town’

Chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas, with 13 Seattle restaurants and more on the way, says Seattle is a "funny restaurant town."

12 years ago

Investigation continues into why a commander of the Bremerton-based Stennis carrier group was remov...

No Author

New ‘crazy’ conspiracy theory on Stennis Rear Admiral

The Pentagon shoots down theories about why the commander of the USS Stennis Carrier Group was removed from duty and sent back to the homeport in Bremerton.

12 years ago

Seattle photographer Paul Souders captures an adult polar bear up close in Hudson Bay in Churchill,...

No Author

Seattle photographer comes face to face with a polar bear

A wildlife photographer, who lives in Ballard, has taken thousands of stunning shots. None put him on "a razor's edge" more than a series of photos swimming with a polar bear.

12 years ago

‘Boo’ to a Seattle school’s Halloween costume ban