Our school goes “all out” with Halloween. I'd like to say something, but am not sure how to approach it. Any ideas? It probably won't be effective to complain to the teacher that Halloween is anti-Christian or promotes Satan. Many teachers would see your remarks as attempts to impose your religious values on their classroom. They also may be insulted that you are in essence accusing them of promoting the occult when they consider it harmless fun. Instead, point to sobering trends regarding America's children - violence, cruelty, crime, and an obsession with the "dark side" of life. You might even call your local police or sheriffs department to see if they have any statistics on occult-related crime. The National Association of Chiefs of Police manual on occult crime makes this startling comment regarding investigation of crimes: "If you think there is a problem with Self-styled Satanism in your community -- and there almost certainly is; the situation is epidemic -- start with the schools." The manual also recommends, "Don't limit yourself to the high schools. More and more, middle schoolers are becoming involved in Self-styled Satanism." You can point out to the teacher or principal that ghoulish celebrations might arouse an unhealthy curiosity with the occult and darker side of life. Certainly, it trivializes evil — something kids today don't need. Fall harvest festivals, candy, and innocent masquerades are harmless. But, these days, we need to be careful about the messages our children see us endorsing. © 2002, Gateways to Better Education Questions? If you have a question for Gateways to Better Education, we offer two options: If you have an urgent issue that needs an immediate response, we recommend that you call our Advisory Line at (949) 586-KIDS (5437), Send us an email containing your question.