The University of Florida has announced that it will be offering counseling for those who feel troubled over their schoolmates' Halloween costume choices. The college has made a counselor available for students.
The College Fix reported that the University of Florida announced to students this week that several resources have been made available to them if they feel offended by anything on Halloween. There will be a 7-day a week presence of the U Matter, We Care program at the school as well as a 24/7 counselor at the Counseling and Wellness Center. Moreover, the Bias Education and Response Team is also available to respond to reported incidents of bias through educating those involved and providing support to those who are affected by the incidents.
"If you choose to participate in Halloween activities, we encourage you to think about your choices of costumes and themes," The Gator Times, the school's newsletter, wrote. "Some Halloween costumes reinforce stereotypes of particular races, genders, cultures, or religions. Regardless of intent, these costumes can perpetuate negative stereotypes, causing harm and offense to groups of people."
Aside from reminding students of how their choices can affect others, the school also reminded them to remember that social media posts can have a long-term impact on their personal and professional reputations. "As a community, we aspire to demonstrate integrity, respect, and compassion that strives to maintain an affirming campus climate for all members of our community," the school added.
According to Fox News, the announcement comes after Wisconsin-La Crosse held an event that aimed to educate students on how not to dress like a racist on Halloween. The event, which had about 30 students as guests, was advertised with posters asking "Is Your Costume Racist?" A school district in Connecticut also cracked down on clown costumes after multiple reports of clown sightings were reported.
Recently, the University of Chicago has been slammed for announcing that students should not expect trigger warnings at the institution. Dean John Ellison believes that trigger warnings may affect academic freedom. He also criticized "safe spaces" where he claims "individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own."
