Dear District 97 Families,
As Halloween approaches, many families may be discussing costume ideas and celebration plans. While wearing a costume is entirely optional in District 97, we know that for some students, it can be a joyful and creative part of the fall season.
As always, our priority is to ensure that all students, staff, and families feel safe, respected, and included in our school communities. In that spirit, if your student chooses to wear a costume, we kindly ask that it be inclusive and respectful of all cultures, identities, and lived experiences. Costumes that perpetuate stereotypes or mock cultural, racial, ethnic, or religious groups are not appropriate and can cause harm, even if unintentionally.
We encourage families to have thoughtful conversations at home about making mindful costume choices. To support those conversations, we are sharing a selection of updated resources that provide helpful context and guidance:
- "Learning for Justice: Teach About Blackface and Other Racist Halloween Choices" (written for educators, but provides useful prompts for discussions at home, 2018)
- "I Am Not a Costume" (information about Laurier Students' Public Interest Research Group campaign)
- "Cultural Appropriation, A Perennial Issue On Halloween" (Written by Leila Fadel, NPR, 2019)
- “My culture is not a costume” (Bucknell University, Article, 2024)
- “Navigating Cultural Appropriation in the Classroom” (NEA, Article)
Thank you for working with us to ensure our schools remain welcoming spaces for everyone. We appreciate your continued partnership in fostering a community of kindness, respect, and belonging.
- Oak Park Elementary School District 97