Halloween costumes have been exorcised from many area classrooms.

Troy Schueller, principal at Coeur d’Alene High, recently sent a letter home to parents after receiving multiple inquiries about whether students are allowed to come to school in costume today.

“The simple answer is no. In an attempt to maximize the teaching and learning, we are asking all students to refrain from dressing up for Halloween,” Schueller wrote.

Lake City High School is not prohibiting costumes, but, according to principal Deanne Clifford, costumes are discouraged. She said there are not many people who dress up anyway, but if they do, the school’s dress code applies.

Some of the elementary schools are allowing costumes, but with conditions.

“For example, Sorensen is letting kids dress up as long as the costume is not too scary, gory, has any perceived weapons or infringes upon the education in the building,” said the district’s communications director, Laura Rumpler.

She also said none of the district’s middle schools are allowing costumes.

Elizabeth Gourley, a freshman at Coeur d’Alene High School, said she strongly opposes the ban on costumes at her school. She even made a petition, though it didn’t gain much traction.

“It’s just another spirit day,” she said. “I agree with schools about no facepaint and the policies of the dress code. I’m just asking for Halloween Day.”

She said she’s dressing up as a murderer for the holiday.

Mark Wasson, a senior at CHS, said the ban on costumes was disappointing.

“At this point there’s not much you can really do about it.” he said. “I agree with the whole ‘no weapons’ and there’s always problems with masks.”

Wasson said he’s dressing up as a medieval knight for Halloween.

The Lakeland School District is not allowing costumes at any of the junior high or high schools. Three of the elementary schools, however — John Brown, Spirit Lake and Twin Lakes, — have some sort of Halloween festivities at the end of the day.

Depending on which class kids are in, they may or may not be dressing up. The kids who are dressing up for their festivities can bring costumes to school and change into them at the end of the day, according to the district’s assistant superintendent Lisa Sexton.

All costumes must be school appropriate and have no blood or gore.

Similarly, the Post Falls School District is not allowing costumes during school.

“We have several schools that are allowing students to bring their costumes to school and put them on for a harvest party or in some cases a parade around the school toward the end of the school day,” said Jerry Keane, the district’s superintendent.

He said costumes must be able to fit over students’ clothing. No face paint, blood, gore, masks or weapons are allowed.

So for the most part, students in Kootenai County will have to wait until after school to dawn their costumes today.

Nick Malone, a sophomore at Coeur d’Alene High School, doesn’t agree with his school’s rule to not allow costumes.

“As long as they don’t cover a person’s face, they should be allowed,” he said. “But honestly, it’s not a big deal.”

For Halloween, he said he’s dressing up as a terrorist.