Should the School Decorate for Halloween?
10/24/22
By: Macy Mullin
Scary things that go “bump” in the night. Shadows moving out of the corner of your eye. Monstrous things that are too horrific to be seen. What else does one think of when they think of Halloween?
Decorations of course! But there seems to be an absence of these decorations at EJHS. And if we were to put up decorations, what kind? What would be deemed school appropriate? Who would want to see decorations at all? Well, I wondered what the students and teachers of EJHS thought.
“I love Halloween and I like dressing up. I like dressing up as the characters that people don't know, but when they do know it's awesome, “ says Mrs. Myers, our 8th grade science teacher. She described how she loves to dress up for the holiday, meanwhile her husband she says is less likely to be in costum with her. When asked about how decorations and costumes can affect the students' perspective, she said, “I feel like depending on what you pick, it could connect you to students.” “I think it would be fun. Having a more organized effort for halloween celebrations would be fun.”
Many other members of the school think the same way. “Yes, for a while schools haven’t been decorating for Halloween when it is probably the best holiday, besides Christmas.” say Ona Terrell.
But even though some people agree, others aren’t so keen on having the decorations in their school halls.
Next I talked to Mrs. Erickson, the 7th grade science teacher. “I do not lean heavily in favor of either side. While I always loved Halloween growing up and really enjoy this time of year, I do not think that the school should have to necessarily decorate for it. I think it should be up to teachers or staff members whether they want to decorate their spaces for the season or not. Personally, I would find it more worth my time to teach about the origins of the holiday or potentially do an activity that centers on that theme (like a pumpkin dissection!).”
Being able to learn about the history of Halloween would be a very interesting topic to discuss in school. But what about personal beliefs? Sometimes the religious or personal beliefs of others does not allow them to participate in Halloween activities. “I am 50/50 on it because it is against people's religions to decorate but as long as it's appropriate, that’s okay,” says Caroline Worden. Making sure that people are being respectful while trying to have fun is very important for a school setting, and I think that EJHS would be able to accomplish this.
I was able to talk to one more person, Frankie Allen, and her response made a very strong argument. “Yes because it would be a fun opportunity for students and staff to let creativity flow with the spooky season,” says Frankie Allen.
After talking with all of these interviewees, I personally believe that if the school is able to accomplish these decorations in a respectful manner, than the school should put up decorations for Halloween.
Contributor Bio:
Macy Mullin is a 14 year old girl that enjoys reading, watching her favorite shows, and spending time with the people they care about.