NJ Elementary School Cancels Halloween, Cites Diversity
MAPLEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- One New Jersey elementary school has cancelled Halloween festivities this year.
In a letter to the school's parents last week, officials cited the school's diversity as the reason behind the decision.
About twenty percent of parents at Seth Boyden Elementary School in Maplewood, New Jersey are keeping their kids out of school, or opting to not participate in Halloween activities, WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola reported.
"To have it interfere with the learning of a significant number of families in a way that made them feel uncomfortable just didn't make sense anymore," Suzanne Turner, director of strategic communications for the South Orange-Maplewood School District, said.
Principal Mark Quiles and PTA co-presidents Amelia Riekenberg and Donna Upton praised Seth Boyden's community "with many cultures represented'' and stated that past Halloween celebrations had many students feeling left out.
Seth Boyden Elementary School is the only school in the district that cancelled Halloween-related events, Turner said.
"They chose to celebrate the season of fall in a different way," she said. "They had a harvest festival over the weekend with all kinds of fall activities including pumpkin painting."
"There are celebrations in both towns after school on Friday, there's normal trick-or-treating happening on Saturday in both of our towns," Turner said.
Other schools in the district will hold Halloween parties.
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