Parents are furious and are fighting back after a woke Pennsylvania school district announced it’s canceling outdoor Halloween costume parades for elementary students out of safety and “inclusivity” concerns.
(Video Credit: Fox News)
“Somebody was offended. So they’re trying to take away our Halloween parade. And it’s just another thing in this weird cancel culture era that we’re living in,” Lower Merion School District parent Linda Joseph told “America’s Newsroom” Wednesday during an interview.
“To anyone who’s offended or does not want their children to participate… keep your kid home that day, don’t rain on everyone else’s parade,” the mother said. “I don’t think it’s going to end here… next year someone is going to be offended by Valentine’s Day and then it’s going to be Christmas. So my question is, where does this end?”
“We fought so hard for our kids just to be able to breathe freely,” Joseph said concerning mask mandates in classrooms. “So much has already been removed and taken away from our children. And we’re just starting to get back to some sense of normalcy. And now they do this.”
One mother named Dominique Izbicki, who lives in Montgomery County told Fox News Digital that she finds the cancellation disappointing, “Generally, I’m just disappointed that we are taking an approach to inclusivity as trying to go down to the lowest common denominator rather than trying to celebrate all cultures, all religions and all views for our kids.”
"Where does it end? Next people are going to be offended by pumpkins?" Mom reacts to a school's plan to cancel the annual #Halloween parade.
How does YOUR kid's school celebrate #SpookySeason? pic.twitter.com/BunnGgZySb
— Morning Express with Robin Meade (@MorningExp) October 12, 2022
Izbicki has a child in second grade at Merion Elementary School in the Lower Merion School District located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
“We are lucky to live in a diverse area, and we should embrace that and expose our kids to as much as possible,” she asserted.
The school district sent a letter to parents last week announcing the cancellation of the Halloween costume parades at the six elementary schools that had been held for more than 50 years, according to PennLive.
Amy Buckman, who is the director of school and community relations at the Lower Merion School District, confirmed via email to Fox News that elementary school principals had informed parents about the cancellations by letter.
“Each school has different fall fun activities, crafts, etc. planned, so there was some additional different information about those in each principal’s letter, but this information about the parades is consistent across all six LMSD elementary schools,” Buckman claimed.
Lower Merion School District cancelling their annual Halloween parade. Because they can't screen all attendees (for weapons). One mom said, "There's danger in everything. What are we going to do – cancel everything?"
— Winfield Scott (@LtGenScott) October 11, 2022
“First, there are concerns for the safety and security of students parading outside among a crowd of unscreened adults on our field,” she tried to explain. “Another is the lack of inclusivity of students whose families do not celebrate Halloween for religious or cultural reasons.”
“Finally, many working parents and guardians are unable to attend a morning parade due to work responsibilities, which can create disappointment for their children,” Buckman remarked.
Confusingly, although the parades have been nixed, the Lower Merion School District is still allowing Halloween celebrations indoors. Students are being allowed to wear costumes to school on Oct. 31.
“[We] know that many students are very excited about Halloween,” Buckman stated.
That’s just dumb. I grew up in the Deep South as the only Jew in an 800 student school. I freaking LOVED Christmas parties and parades. I played Joseph in the school Christmas play. My sister was baby Jesus. It’s just fun for kids. #buzzkillers
— Daniel Ben Canaan 🇮🇱 (@SawtoothStoic) October 12, 2022
The Lower Merion School District is inviting students to “dress in a way that reflects something unique about them, their interests, culture or personality,” she commented.
The only restrictions on Halloween garb are the prohibition of weapon accessories and the costume has to allow for free movement.
Another local parent named Karin Fox, whose daughter graduated from the district two years ago, claims that parents are afraid to comment publicly because they fear retaliation against their children.
Fox blasted the district’s cancellation of Halloween parades as a “virtue signal” and an example of “hypocrisy.”
This is getting a little much…
— Karen Kelley (Jumonville) (@karenakelley55) October 13, 2022
“So many are so excluded in that district daily while the administration looks the other way, but now we’re inclusive because we’re moving the Halloween celebration indoors,” she bitterly stated.
She pointed out that children will still feel bad if they can’t participate in indoor activities related to Halloween.
“Will they be canceling recess? School sports — soccer, baseball, lacrosse, etc. What about kids who don’t make those teams?” she asked. “Are they no longer inclusive?”
“I could go on forever. This is so typical for this district — say one thing, do another. Appearances over meaningful implementation. Ignore the big, very real issues and eliminate Halloween parades,” Fox charged.
This school district is not alone in its madness. In 2021, a Seattle-based elementary school made headlines for canceling its Halloween parades because the school administration found that it marginalized “students of color who do not celebrate the holiday,” according to Fox News.
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