With Halloween just around the corner, parents and children alike are gearing up for the seemingly endless rounds of school carnivals, class parties and church functions that are taking place over the next few days. However, as this year’s crop of ghosts, goblins and fairy princesses prepares for their Oct. 31 festivities, some parents are growing increasingly concerned over the holiday’s crowning glory, trick or treat.
“Considering everything that is happening nowadays, I think that any parent that allowed their child or children to go trick or treating unsupervised would be very foolish,” Mississippi State University employee Lorrie Bryan said.
With recent scares over biological terrorism around the nation, Bryan and other parents within the community are showing concern over allowing their children to trick or treat.
In response to this concern and as a preventative measure, Starkville Mayor Mack Rutledge is encouraging parents to show caution on Oct. 31.
“I am encouraging parents not to allow children to go door to door in the activity that is commonly known as trick or treating,” Rutledge said. “I feel that this would expose them to risks that are not consistent with the caution required by the present situation that we find ourselves in now.”
Rutledge’s concern, however, is not specific to any one age group.
“In trick or treating, not only do you find parents taking their children from house to house, but you also see older children going from community to community without supervision of any kind,” Rutledge said.
Rutledge said he feels that these children are exposing themselves to greater risks than those that are participating in the event with full parental supervision.
Rutledge, however, said that his stance on trick or treating definitely does not encompass any of the other Halloween activities that parents may have planned.
In fact, Rutledge encouraged parents to participate in any of the other Halloween activities that have been scheduled for the upcoming days, such as school parties, church socials or family outings.
However, Rutledge said he feels that the possible risks of trick or treating outweigh the possible enjoyment.
“If anyone does allow their children to go out that night, it will expose them to the opportunity for pranks at the very least,” Rutledge said.
Some alternate activities Rutledge suggests are house parties, slumber parties, a movie or a family outing on Halloween. Parents could also take their children to one of the many activities sponsored by the organizations within the community.
“I’m glad that the university has so many Halloween activities planned for the next few days, from trick or treating on (Sorority and Fraternity) Row to the Halloween Carnival,” Bryan said. “I think that this is a great way to allow my children to participate in fun and safe Halloween activities.”
“As a parent, I feel that it takes all the fun out of Halloween if you don’t let your children go trick or treating,” Loni Bell, a senior at MSU said. “However, if there was an activity to do inside, I would definitely take my child to it instead.”