Columbia, Md (Map, News) - Students at one Columbia elementary school will have to leave their SpongeBob, Dracula and Harry Potter costumes at home this Halloween. Guilford Elementary is forgoing the traditional Halloween celebration and will instead have a fall festival Nov. 1.

“Our school was having increasing numbers of families who said they didn’t celebrate Halloween,” said PTA President Kris Woodson.

Woodson estimated that 40 to 50 of about the school’s 490 students, as well as many teachers, don’t observe the Oct. 31 holiday.

“I’m for anything that creates a sense of inclusion,” she said. “I feel like this is where we’ve come — It was the most logical step for the school.”

Woodson, who has two children at the school, and the PTA have worked with Principal Genee Varlack to develop the fall festival.

Instead of a parade of ghouls, children will decorate pumpkins, work on arts and crafts and participate in a 1-mile turkey trot. The day will conclude with apple pie and apple juice.

“When we celebrate a season, everybody can participate,” Varlack said.

Some counties have been holding fall festivals for several years.

“We do encourage fall festivals and things in connection with the season rather than Halloween,” said Don Morrison, a spokesman for Harford County schools, who said fall festivals have been around several years.

“Halloween is a long-standing tradition in some of the schools. It’s impossible to keep out of the schools, but we don’t encourage it.”

Anne Arundel school system spokesman Bob Mosier said decisions regarding Halloween were left up to the schools and there was no written policy. Most schools, though, are moving toward fall festivals, he said.

jkowalkowski@baltimoreexaminer.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

8:30 AM MST on Wed., Oct. 17, 2007 re: "Council: Don�t drop Halloween"

Irony said:
Saw what? I think you're misinterpreting Christianity with Islam. Haven't seen many Christians beheading "infidels" lately.

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10:45 AM MST on Tue., Oct. 16, 2007 re: "Seasonal fun replacing Halloween"

Examiner Reader said:
Holloween is not being attacked by by the PC Lefties. It is the Christian Right who find it offensive. If you want to find out who the protected classes are in this country, try saying something about Christians and their irrational beliefs based on scripture. Anyone brave enough to to state that Christian faith is delusional would be burned at the stake.

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9:36 AM MST on Tue., Oct. 16, 2007 re: "Seasonal fun replacing Halloween"

Kelkyen said:
I'd like to point out the error of those who think the loss of Halloween is due to the non-religious or other bleeding hearts. From Wikipedia ---> Some consider Halloween to be completely incompatible with the Christian faith due to its origin as a Pagan "festival of the dead."

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10:11 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 15, 2007 re: "Seasonal fun replacing Halloween"

Examiner Reader said:
We can thank the ACLU and the bleeding hearts for this. Just look what they have done to Christmas for cryin' out loud. Total ignorance.

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10:02 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 15, 2007 re: "Seasonal fun replacing Halloween"

Examiner Reader said:
Watch out thanksgiving is next because it involves Religion and a bunch of white people dressed in silly outfits....

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9:37 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 15, 2007 re: "Seasonal fun replacing Halloween"

Dale said:
Ok this is about the most rediculous thing I've heard. Heaven forbid (oh wait, can't say that b/c it might be construed as religion) anyone be offended by anything. Halloween is a time for kids to dress up and celebrate being children, fun for families regardless of background because there is no presumption of religion. How do you not celebrate? Exactly how did they determine that less than 10% of the students celebrate the holiday? They send out surveys to 2nd graders? I live up the street and am adding this to the numerous reasons for me moving out of state, right below being taxed to death by Governor tax alot Omalley...REDICULOUS

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7:14 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 15, 2007 re: "Seasonal fun replacing Halloween"

Runnin' for the Back Door said:
Hmm, apple pie and apple juice at the end of the day. That's enough fiber and pectin to give more than a few of the kids the old Hershey squirts. Good idea. The bus ride home should be fun!

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7:11 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 15, 2007 re: "Seasonal fun replacing Halloween"

Benny said:
�I�m for anything that creates a sense of inclusion..." OK, then I will come over and slap all you PC morons upside the head. That should give you a sense of inclusion!! Less than 10% of the school population says they don't celebrate Halloween, so they cancel it. This is a perfect example of the tyranny of the minority. Who does Halloween offend? It is a secular holiday! You put on a costume, you have fun, you get some candy. What could be better than that for a kid? These PC school administrators need to get over themselves and let the kids be kids.

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5:32 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 15, 2007 re: "Seasonal celebrations replacing Halloween"

Teflon Leprechaun said:
This is ridiculous! If you don't want to sell Halloween, then get the hell out of this country! Halloween is not a religious holiday, it's a holiday for kids. No wonder children are shooting up schools, they are taking away everything fun like Gym, Recess, Christmas, and Halloween. So far, the terrorists have won as they're slowing causing stuck up PC yuppies to overly protect their children instead of letting them be children. This country is starting to suck real bad!!

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