Click here to find out about the new policy Moses Dewitt has implemented.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — “I wish my kids could grow up in the way that I grew up,” said Lisa Patchen, president of the Parent Teacher Group at Moses Dewitt Elementary School.
The annual Halloween party at Moses Dewit was once the highlight of the year for students and their families. The elementary school has banned parents and other family members from attending school day functions including the annual halloween costume parade because of security concerns.
Patchen also attended Moses Dewitt as a child and remembered the fun and excitement the Halloween parade brought her and her family.
“Instead I have pictures of me moving through the building outside inside through the building, parents grandparents siblings would come out to watch the parade,” said Patchen.
Andy Palumbo, a teacher at Moses Dewitr, explains how the school community has been affected by this new policy.
“We’re telling parents that you can’t come in, so that’s kinda brought down that community feel quite a bit in our school,” said Palumbo.
Palumbo expressed his concern over the heightened safety measures for the Halloween parade.
“I think it was over the top the extreme that they are going with the security issues,” said Palumbo.
Palumbo describes the atmosphere that takes place on Halloween at Moses Dewitt.
“They’re like ‘why all the sudden are we sitting in an empty gym with our costumes [with] our parents watching us,'” said Palumbo.
Moses Dewitt Elementary School parents used to fill the halls and the sidewalks waiting for their children to walk by in their Halloween costumes. Instead it is quiet on Halloween day.
As a long time teacher, Palumbo has enjoyed many years of inclusive halloween parades, and worries about the recent changes.
“They’ve aboslutely gone too far,” said Palumbo.
