As Halloween inches closer, everyone is wondering whether students should have the day before or after Halloween off from school.
This year, Halloween falls on a Thursday and students are going to want a three day weekend to enjoy themselves and have time from school off. Students should be able to have the day after Halloween because they are out late, eating candy and partying.
Elementary school students will struggle in school the next day due to excessive amounts of sugar and not being able to focus because they are out late. Many children go to Halloween events, whether it’s with a community or family, it can end very late and leads to trouble focusing the next day.
Children from 5-10 years old are recommended to have at least 9-12 hours of sleep each night. Those age groups need more sleep because their body is still growing and with lack of sleep they can be irritable, overexcited and unproductive. On Halloween they may be getting only seven hours of sleep with the expectation they will be going to school the next morning. Parents may have trouble balancing preparing for work and making sure their children get enough sleep Halloween night.
Mr. Weinstein says, “The day after, Nov. 1, is better because whether they are in elementary school or teenagers, they are going to be candy filled and out late…we’ve had a past history of lower attendance absences.”
As for teenagers, Halloween is a big night to stay out extremely late and party with your friends. As students get older, Halloween events end later causing them to lose an important amount of sleep.
Students do not want to have to go to school the next day because they will be exhausted. Teachers may find it difficult to manage hundreds of tired students and constantly make sure they are on task and focused. Giving students the day off after Halloween will allow them to relax from the stress of school and not burden their fun night out.
Raymond Harris (12) says, “You know Halloween is an exciting night… people want to stay out all night… if there’s no day off after Halloween, I’m just not going.”
Attendance will be extremely low the next day, so having a school day the next day would be illogical and a waste of time.
Absences and truancies nearly double the day after Halloween. In addition, Halloween falls on a Thursday this year and students are going to want a three day weekend so they will just not come to school.
Maksim Reshetnikov (11) says, “I think we should have the day after off, so we have the opportunity to come to school on the day itself to come in our costumes.”
Some students enjoy going to school on Halloween so they can show off their costumes and do fun Halloween activities in class. Costumes can bring our school community together by sharing interest, having the same costume or admiring one another.
Overall, students should get November 1 off from schools throughout the country because attendance rates will be extremely low and it would be a nice break for students. They can have all night to do whatever they want and not have to worry about school the next day.
