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NBC FIVE'S ZURI HOFFMAN TALKED TO PARENTS ABOUT THE CHANGE. FOR YEARS ITS BEEN A TRADITION HERE AT EDMUNDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL...BUT DON'T EXPECT TO SEE THESE YOUNGSTERS PARADING DOWN MAIN STREET THIS YEAR... <PARADE> <THERE'S PARENTS THAT ARE VERY VOICEFUL THERES PARENTS THAT ARE MORE QUIET AND CONSERVATIVE AND THERES ME WHOS JUST OPEN TO EVERYTHING> ANDREA MASON DIDN'T TAKE THE NEWS TOO HARD WHEN SHE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE CHANGE THROUGH THE SCHOOL'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER... BUT SHE DID HAVE TO BREAK IT TO HER KINDERGARTENER THAT THE HALLOWEEN PARADE IS NOT HAPPENING... THE SAME YEAR HER DAUGHTER WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE FOR THE FIRST TIME... <IM STILL JUST GOING TO MAKE IT AS FUN AS POSSILBE AND KEEP THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT GOING REGARDLESS> PARENTS WE SPOKE WITH OFF CAMERA DIDN'T TAKE THE NEWS AS LIGHTLY...MANY WERE DISAPPOINTED THE CELEBRATION THAT HAS BEEN A STAPLE IN THE COMMUNITY IS NO MORE. <PARADING> <WE REALLY VALUE IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CREATIVITY AND PRETENDING> DURING THE PARADE TWO YEARS AGO NBC5 SPOKE WITH THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL----DR. SHELLEY MATHIAS MENTIONED CONCERNS OVER APPROPRIATE COSTUMES, TO ASSURE NO STUDENT IS OFFENDED. <IF YOU'RE NOT PART OF A GROUP YOU DON'T USE THAT GROUPS TRADITIONAL DRESS AS A COSTUME> NBC5 REACHED OUT TO MEMBERS OF THE BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT WEDNESDAY TO FIND OUT THE REASON OF THE ABRUPT CHANGE... BUT WERE UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME... MANY PARENTS AND BURLINGTON RESIDENTS LEFT WONDERING WHY? AFTER YEARS OF SUCH A WIDELY LOVED TRADITON. <I THINK IT IS SORT OF A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, I THINK IT IS ALWAYS NICE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER, FOR PEOPLE TO BE OUT TO BE SEEN.> <I WOULDN'T WANT KIDS TO FEEL ISOLATED BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT IS GREAT TO HAVE FESTIVITIES SO IT WOULD

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Edmunds Elementary School in Burlington canceled its traditional Halloween parade this year.The parade has been a longstanding tradition in the Burlington community for years. Students dress up in Halloween costumes and parade up Main Street, greeted by community members. But a few weeks ago, the Edmunds Elementary School principal, Dr. Shelly Mathias, notified parents through the weekly newsletter that the parade is canceled this year. The letter can be found here.The Communication Specialist at Burlington School District tells us Mathias received an email from a concerned parent regarding the possibility of canceling the celebration. The email prompted a faculty meeting to vote on whether to hold the parade. Below is the response to the parent's email, which provides clarity on the district's effort to move away from Halloween-specific celebrations:"Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughts and concerns regarding Halloween. Over the past several years, BSD has come to recognize some students’ and parents'/guardians’ feelings regarding Halloween activities result from different perspectives and experiences. There are members of our community who celebrate Halloween as a religious holy day, members who feel the socioeconomic pressure of such a consumerized tradition, members who feel the food products marketed during time go against their family’s dietary habits, those who have had first-hand traumatic experiences of violence that make talking about death, ghosts, etc. extremely alienating, and even members who have no prior knowledge or concept of or experience with 'trick or treat.'"To that end, for many years now the District Equity and Access Leadership Team (DEALT) has been working with principals, administrators, and staff to rethink the ways in which Halloween is observed and/or celebrated in BSD. "This year, as in recent years past,- We are continuing to ask our staff to be mindful of our community members who are new to the traditions and celebrations associated with this day, as well as those who would rather not have their students participate. - We are sharing our understanding that 'Halloween' is not a curriculum requirement- We are encouraging staff to make all Halloween activities optional and consider holding Halloween-related activities outside of school hours. Although celebrations can be fun and engaging for students, our staff struggle to maintain quality instructional time when large blocks are dedicated to solely celebrations without a direct curriculum link - We are asking all schools to communicate their plans for any in-school activities which are not curricular in nature to families, making sure to do so in ways that ALL families can understand"Here are some guidelines we have communicated to our staff in previous years which remain relevant: - Some parents/cultures may not celebrate Halloween and would not like their students participating in any Halloween-related activities. Schools should create a safe space for students who cannot participate and all attempts should be made to engage these students in meaningful alternative activities and to help these students not feel excluded. - One of the most important mandates is that costumes shall not be demeaning to any person or group based on age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, nationality, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or to any individual staff or student at the school. Costumes should be respectful and culturally sensitive, (e.g., students should not wear religious articles such as a hijab, turban, yarmulke, kimono, that could be viewed as culturally insensitive or as contributing to cultural appropriation).- No weapons of any type may be part of a costume.- Costumes should not include blood or imply any type of violence.- For any student who cannot afford a costume, the school should provide one upon request (if the school sponsors an event that requires a costume). No student should be directly encouraged or forced to wear a costume at any time.- Remember that traditions, holidays, and holy days are different. Approaching holidays with an equity lens does not have to do away with 'fun' school traditions. Pumpkin math, harvest meals, the 100th day of school, solstice themed arts and crafts, etc. are all examples of acceptable alternative activities."Our teachers have to find a way to engage students without excluding anyone, all while keeping in mind that there are those who consider this to be a faith day. Even with these guidelines, we know that each school will do things differently depending on their own population of students and staff. "All of that said, BSD leadership feels strongly that our District needs to begin moving to a place where holiday parties and parades are not happening during the school day/critical instructional time. The guidelines above say that 'schools should create a safe space for students who cannot participate,' but in reality, no school should be holding an event in which all students cannot participate because of religious or cultural beliefs. We would envision these types of celebrations being reserved for after-school parties such as a PTO sponsored fall dances, etc. A Halloween parade can certainly happen before or after the instructional day, not during. "As you may know, there are several other schools in Vermont that have already changed their practices and no longer celebrate Halloween. We look forward to working together with the community to make our own inclusive changes that are respectful to all the many perspectives represented in Burlington School District."