School's PTA renames Halloween disco Scary Costume Party

Fears about promoting the darker side of Halloween to pupils at a Church of England school has led to them renaming their children's disco the Scary Costume Party. Monkton School's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) originally promoted its half-term party as Halloween, but PTA members then changed it and put out new posters.

Chairman Sarah Christie, 40, said: "The school is a church school and they don't celebrate Halloween." Mrs Christie said children are still permitted to turn up in scary costumes including witches, vampires and even the devil.



A spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury said: "We want people to not focus on the dark side of Hallowe'en but focus on the positive side and celebrate the heroes in the community. Each parish should make the decision to hold the event because that is how we operate and it's down to them to celebrate how they wish."

Secretary of the Thanet Society of Druids and Grand Arch Druid of the Province Wally Carter dismissed the change as nonsense. He said: "I don't see why there should be a conflict between Celtic traditions like Halloween and Christianity. We all believe in a higher creator. I think it is going too far."