Over the past few years, educators across the country who are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice have been struggling with how to approach holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Christmas, which have long been the foundation of school calendars — particularly the “fun” parts. Their dilemma is how to provide memorable traditions for students and families without excluding, marginalizing, or reinforcing stereotypes about students from different backgrounds. To support schools in thinking through their decision making more clearly, I propose the following four step process: clarify your purpose, identify problems, plan alternatives, and proactively communicate changes.
Halloween and Guns
Halloween in Shibuya, a bustling district in Tokyo, is not only famous in Japan but also known around the world, attracting many foreigners. I’ve…