Illinois School Suddenly Cancels Halloween

Bah, humbug. Elementary school students and parents in Illinois are upset over a last-minute decision to cancel Halloween. Lincoln Elementary School officials say they've called off Halloween festivities because they don't want to offend people who don't celebrate the October 31st holiday. "While we recognize that Halloween is a fun tradition for many families, it is not a holiday that is celebrated by all members of our school community and for various reasons," says Michelle Cooney, principal of the Evanston school. "Our goal at Lincoln is to provide space and opportunities for all students to be part of the community — not to create an environment that may feel exclusive or unwelcoming to any child." Although the school is planning to host a "fall celebration" on November 1st, a number of parents feel the hastily-scheduled event doesn't make up for the loss of what they view as a childhood tradition. "To take away Halloween in the name of a few people who don’t celebrate, this is completely wrong," one parent says.


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