Halloween events banned at Moscow schools
{{date|October 31, 2007}}
[[Image:NKN-2007-09-01 125930 Pumpkins field (Yvan Leduc author for Wikipedia).jpg|right|300px|thumb|A pumpkin in a dark field. {{image credit|[[commons:user:Yvan leduc|Yvan leduc]]}}]]
Schools in [[w:Moscow|Moscow]], [[Russia]] have been told by the city's department of education to not allow any [[w:Halloween|Halloween]]-related events.

Alexander Gavrilov, press secretary of the education department, told [[w:Interfax|''Interfax'']], "The department's stance has remained invariable since 2003, when the leadership of the department sent a letter to Moscow principals, which bans holding Halloween events at their schools."

Gavrilov further said that the ban is because this holiday "includes religious elements, including the cult of death, the mockery of death, personification of death and evil, which contradict the secular nature of state educational institutions." 

"This is destructive for the minds and the spiritual and moral health of pupils," he said. "It's not an attempt to block the celebration of this holiday completely, just in schools and colleges."

{{haveyoursay}}
== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11897721
|title=Halloween banned at Moscow schools
|author=
|pub=Interfax
|date=October 31, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN3129207220071031
|title=Schools ban "cult of death" Halloween
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=October 31, 2007}}

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[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Russia]]
[[Category:Culture and entertainment]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Wackynews]]
[[Category:Moscow]]
[[Category:Free speech]]
[[Category:Halloween]]
[[Category:Central Federal District]]

[[pt:Halloween é proibido em escolas de Moscou]]
A pumpkin in a dark field. 
Schools in Moscow, Russia have been told by the city's department of education to not allow any Halloween-related events.

Alexander Gavrilov, press secretary of the education department, told Interfax, "The department's stance has remained invariable since 2003, when the leadership of the department sent a letter to Moscow principals, which bans holding Halloween events at their schools."

Gavrilov further said that the ban is because this holiday "includes religious elements, including the cult of death, the mockery of death, personification of death and evil, which contradict the secular nature of state educational institutions." 

"This is destructive for the minds and the spiritual and moral health of pupils," he said. "It's not an attempt to block the celebration of this holiday completely, just in schools and colleges."


Halloween é proibido em escolas de Moscou
Europe Russia Culture and entertainment Religion Christianity Wackynews Moscow Free speech Halloween Central Federal District