Octavia Strunk
Ghosts, monsters, and spooky haunted houses aren’t all things people fear on Halloween. But for some, the scariest thing roaming this holiday is the fact that some teens won’t get to go trick or treating…
But why is this happening? Why are some places banning teens from putting on a costume and asking strangers for candy? Well, to answer this we must first understand what exactly is happening. Wavy’s hr scene states, “In 2017 nine towns in the state of Virginia have laws and guidelines that make it illegal for people in their teens -- 13 to 18 -- to trick-or-treat. Some towns only allow teens to be out with a parent or guardian.” This quote is explained what ages are not permitted to trick-or-treat, and where they are located. But what if you broke this law anyways and went trick-or-treating? Well, quartz states “City officials recently announced that doorbell-ringing candy seekers over the age of 12 could face a misdemeanor charge, up to six months in jail, and $25 to $100 fines.” In my opinion, these punishments are absurd. But, there are reasons for these bans on teens.
The main reason this law has been passed in several states is because of mischievous teens. According to Daily News they state, “Take Mayor Mark Eckert of Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis. He led a push in 2008 to ban trick or treating by high school-aged teens in that community of about 35,000 people. His reasoning? He said he heard from too many single mothers and senior citizens complaining they were frightened by "6-foot-tall kids" showing up at their homes in search of candy.” This quote is showing how many of the modern day adults fear that older kids shouldn’t be doing these “childish” holidays. They are stereotypical and think that most teens will do bad things during this holiday.
In conclusion, many places are setting a ban on teens due to the mischievous acts some teens have done in the past. Some people on social media agree with this