Halloween, a treasured holiday of all ages, provides a sweet—but scary—escape from the ordinary world into a world of horror. Most holidays allow for no school for students K-12, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, but not Halloween. Whether it be because of the 24 hours of the holiday or maybe even the alarmingly chilling costumes, Halloween remains a holiday where children still attend school. I believe this to be incredibly wasteful of potential, as there are many positive benefits to allowing a free day for students on Halloween.
First of all, Halloween encourages mass amounts of creativity and imagination. Children and adults get the ability to express themselves through costumes and assume the identity of another. Some even decorate to the masses, allowing their artistry to shine. Allowing students to have Halloween as a day off can encourage them to fully engage in the creative process without the constraints of academics. Also, when the students return to school, they will have newfound experiences concerning self-expression—which most schools claim to be necessary for development.
For most students, academics can be highly stressful and demanding. Considering Halloween often falls on a weekday, students are forced to balance the excitement of the holiday with their regular academic responsibilities. Having a school in session on Halloween can lead to immense stress among the students and can cause the work performance at school to be affected the following day. For instance, if students choose to participate in trick-or-treating and have to ensure school assignments are in order, it can be assumed that these students will be restless, therefore hurting the students’ ability to perform well academically the following day.
Most students are often so caught up with schoolwork and extracurriculars that spending time with family can take a lot of work. Halloween and its festivities offer students the perfect platform to bond with family and friends and have fun! Families can fully engage in quality time together by allowing students to seize the day and refrain from attending school.
With a holiday that allows students to be expressive and entertained, Halloween should be free from the grasp of academic hands. By taking a break from the regular school routine, students can fully embrace the excitement of the holiday and create lasting memories. The school system should recognize the error in keeping school in session on Halloween and allow children to celebrate the holiday to the fullest. After all, it never hurts to break from the stress of education on a day off.
