Aliso Viejo Costume Calamity: Parents Struggle With School Rules

ALISO VIEJO, CA — Halloween is coming, and parents across the country have hit Party City, Disney Stores, Walmart, Target and online Costume warehouses to help their children find the costumes of their dreams for trick or treating and school contests. As children make the transition from elementary to middle school, the innocence of some costumes can take a turn. Local schools have provided what they hope are clear guidelines to aid parents in understanding what is and is not considered acceptable during the much anticipated spirit day.

For Don Juan Avila Middle School Principal Manoj Mahindrakar, having kids dress up for spirit days or for Halloween is part of the overall middle school experience. Kids who express themselves on "dress up days" are not just having fun and games, but are also showing comfort in place of learning.

"If they dress up, they show they are at ease with teachers, with fellow students and our school environment," he said. But with those costume allowances, there are also rules and guidelines.

On Thursday, Aliso Viejo Middle School and Don Juan Avila Middle School following the released Halloween Costume Dress Code guidelines that got parents talking (read the full list from each school below).

While DJAVMS guidelines were fairly straightforward, the wording of the AVMS guidelines confused some parents, such as resident Raymond Mackey, who took to social media to complain that his son might not be allowed to wear his Samurai costume out of cultural disrespect.

(Note: This father modified his concern as understanding of the rules came to light).

Patch reached out to Aliso Viejo Middle School for comment, but has yet to hear back on what makes a costume acceptable and not disrespectful in the eyes of school decision makers.

"We received a letter claiming various costume types were not allowed," Mackey said in a phone interview. Mackey did claim that he understood that his child can't wear his full Samurai helmet, and obviously weapons are a no-no at school.

"I made that helmet for him, from pieces of other helmets, and he's proud of the costume, it doesn't cover his face and he wants to wear it to school," Mackey said. "Halloween is supposed to be fun. You can be anything, a Samurai, a Dinosaur. It shouldn't matter."

Whether the school would allow the helmet, without the face shield, is up to that school's interpretation of what is or is not considered "disrespectful." AVMS rules (read below) suggest that the mask could be worn during the judging contest, but left in the office the remainder of the day.

Another father who purchased a "kitty cat" costume--which includes a full "mascot style mask"--for his daughter, was also confused as to whether she would be able to wear the outfit to Don Juan Avila Middle School over dress-up day. According to rules from that school, masks are not allowed. Those mascot style masks promise to be extremely popular over the holiday.

"I'm suggesting that she wear the costume anyway," he said. "I'll take it up with the school board."

While AVMS has not yet replied as to their rules for disrespectful costumes, mother Lisa Nagle, whose children have just graduated from AVMS to high school, considers the costume rules to be clear cut and acceptable.

"AVMS has a good reputation, the kids at the school are good kids," Nagle said. "It's an incredibly racially diverse school, and the school has done a great job of bringing together kids and I have never seen an issue there."

In documents that Patch uncovered, the Aliso Viejo Middle School announced the following dress code information:

Aliso Viejo Middle School Halloween Costume Rules

• You must be able to sit, walk, breathe, see and hear!
• Students wearing inappropriate costumes will be sent to the office to call home for a change of clothes or wear given loaners, and/or may receive disciplinary consequences.
• Costumes that promote the use of illegal substances or activities, are derogatory, or are disrespectful are not allowed.
• Teachers may take away any accessory that is used improperly or is considered inappropriate.
• Skirts or shorts shorter than dress code must have leggings or shorts underneath.
• All temporary hair color and makeup must be applied at home.
• No offensive or inappropriate graphics or language.
• No offensive religious costumes.
• No props that resemble weapons.
• No gruesome costumes.
• No flashing lights or noisemakers.
• No fishnet tights.
• No heels/platforms higher than 2 inches.
• At minimum, shirts must have 2-inch wide straps.
• Masks may only be worn at judging contest and otherwise must be left in the front office.
• Face paint is allowed.
• Hats may be worn, but individual teachers may request that they be removed.
• Morph suits are allowed if shorts are worn over them and the head/face section is not worn.

Don Juan Avila Middle School forwarded parents the following costume rules and regulations:

Halloween Costume Guidelines:

Tuesday, October 31, is Halloween. Students can wear costumes on this day. Costumes must be school appropriate and all school dress code rules apply, including but not limited to

• No weapons as props (guns, swords, knives, etc.)
• No large props (skateboards, broom, etc.)
• No immodest/revealing costumes (low-cut tops, tight clothing, miniskirts, etc.)
• No suggestive costumes (such as adult type costumes)
• No undergarments showing
• Skirts and/or shorts must at least be the length of arms to fingertips
• The face of the student may not be covered by the costume or facepaint
• No makeup that will run or stain
• No baby bottles
• All costume dress must be done at home
• Language on costumes must be school appropriate.
• Hats, make-up, non-permanent hair dye, etc. should be a part of a costume, not worn just because it’s dress up day.

"Each school can have their own rules, as there is no district ruling," a DJAVMS spokesperson said, "The decision to allow students to wear costumes at our middle school was just made yesterday."

Much thought has gone into creating the list of do's and don'ts, according to Manoj Mahindrakar, Principal for DJAVMS.

"DJAVMS used to allow costumes and there wasn't a conscious decision to disallow them, but for the past few years Halloween has fallen on a non-student day,"Mahindrakar said. "As recently as 2015, this school has had costumes on Halloween, and it was a fun and productive, manageable day. Kids were appropriate, and guidelines to not distract from the learning environment, and festive, students are still young enough and that's something they look forward to."

Rules are clear cut, Mahindrakar hopes. Not allowing masks, and full face-obscuring paint comes down to student safety, and needing to be able to immediately identify students.

"If they are wearing masks, we can't identify them," Mahindrakar said. "We don't have a costume parade but they can be in the costume throughout the day. With middle schoolers, some 8th graders are big as adults in size and stature. We need to make sure that no adults are walking around the school who aren't supposed to be there."

The PBI (Positive Behavior Incentive Committee) created the current list of rules that went out to parents, and for that, Mahindrakar hopes that common sense will prevail.

"If your student is dressed up as a baseball player, with eye black, then of course, that is considered okay," he said. The full face paint rule, where paint obscures identification, is really for the comfort of child.

"Face paint gets uncomfortable over 6 hours. It will run, drip, get on clothes and papers and school work," he said. "For a kid to wear face paint from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. it's inherently tough."

As for costume rules, dress up days are about more than just wearing costumes.

"These spirit days, such as Halloween, are to help the cultural enrichment of the school experience," Mahindrakar said. "The students are doing something together as a student body, to encourage one another to do something and do something as one - a color, crazy hair, dress up day - not just fun and games but a strong sign of a cohesive campus and a foundation for a strong learning environment."

Shutterstock photo, Raymond Mackey Helmet photos, by permission.