Book Character Spirit Day:
In lieu of students wearing Halloween costumes on Friday, October 30th and in the spirit of our scholars’ amazing reading skills and growth already this year, we are going to continue our tradition of having a “Reading Spirit Day” and encourage everyone to dress as their favorite book character. While we strongly encourage and would like all scholars to dress as their favorite book character, scholars wearing Halloween costumes does not violate our dress code at Loker. If your child chooses to wear a Halloween costume, the guidelines are below:
1. There are no costumes that cover any portion of the face except for our regular masks that we wear each day. (Hats are okay)
2. There are no fake (or real) weapons as part of a costume.
3. If a child wears a costume then they will need to bring in a separate set of clothes to change into in case the costume distracts them from their learning which is always our top priority at Loker School.
Dressing up provides opportunities for fun and community building, but some costumes can also create situations where students inadvertently dress in a way that can be hurtful to others. I am asking you to join me in helping ensure that students are thoughtful about the costumes that they are wearing to school. Being proactive can help all of us to avoid uncomfortable situations at school and can help us ensure that Halloween is a time where all scholars feel safe and honored.
Please talk with your child(ren) to make sure that the costume that they have selected does not portray a stereotyped image of a culture or group of people. In addition, please help scholars to make sure that their costume is not offensive to any racial, ethnic or religious group, any people with disabilities or illnesses, or any other group of people. Costumes should not become opportunities to turn a person’s identity into a stereotyped image. While scholars might choose to dress as a famous person or character whose identity is different than their own, please reinforce the importance of not darkening skin or using makeup to change a child’s skin color to match the person who they are dressing up to be. Scholars are often unaware of the long history these traditions have of causing harm and need our help in understanding why it can be hurtful.
Some examples of costumes that can be problematic include: Native American costumes involving headdresses or feathers, dressing as a homeless person, dressing as a person with any physical or mental disability, or dressing in any costume that portrays a narrow or negative stereotype about a specific ethnicity, religion or race.
I look forward to our "Reading Spirit Day" on October 30th and appreciate your help in making sure that it is a fun day for everyone. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out.
