From the late afternoon to evening on Halloween, you will see ghosts, witches and superheroes roaming the streets. Kids go from house to house, trying to collect as much candy as their bags can hold. However, as you get older in the Kaneland district and many other school districts, a place you will not see many Halloween costumes in school.

     In elementary school, I was always so excited to dress up on Halloween and go show off my costume at school. It was always fun to see what costumes my peers and teachers were wearing. This year, we can dress up at the high school. This is not what we have been allowed to do in the past, but middle schoolers cannot dress up. 

     High schoolers are allowed to wear costumes this year because it is a spirit day, and spirit is what Halloween is all about. The options are truly endless when it comes to choosing a costume. Some may think that Halloween is only suitable for young children, but it is beneficial for all ages. 

     According to Healthline, “Dressing up is a form of imaginative play — and imaginative play boosts problem-solving and self-regulation skills. Kids create situations and scenes and act out social events. They’re able to test out new ideas and behaviors in a comfortable environment. Dress-up encourages creative thinking and communication skills.”

     I know there are concerns about costumes in school relating to safety and it being too distracting. Safety will always be a top priority, and that does not change on Halloween. If students show up to school in inappropriate costumes due to their violent or offensive nature, they should get in trouble. There would need to be strict guidelines that indicate what makes a costume inappropriate. Having clear rules for what students are allowed to wear and making it clear that students will get in trouble if they break any of the rules solves safety concerns. 

     Many believe costumes would be distracting during class, but it is no different than students dressing up for spirit days. Some spirit days in the past have allowed students to dress up like a celebrity or wear beachwear. How is that different from wearing a costume?

     Halloween is the one night a year when you can be anything you want. Since Halloween is mostly on school days, wearing costumes should not be limited to after school. Precautions can be made to ensure everyone in the school is safe. Halloween is supposed to be a fun holiday, and allowing students to wear costumes may make the holiday even better.