Families Push for School Budget Support With 'Reverse Halloween'

Halloween is months away, but if you see families doing what looks like trick-or-treating this week, here's why: "Reverse Halloween."

Conceived by a local mom, this iteration of "Reverse Halloween" will have kids with their families going door-to-door handing out candy – costumes optional – to ask residents to support the , for which the school district needs a supermajority of voters to pass.

Marci Lobel conceived the idea, saying her two children, who are in grades 5 and 11, helped her refine it.

"We are fortunate to live in an outstanding, nationally-recognized school district, but it won't remain this way unless we all come out to support the school budget," she said.

Lobel said she has reached out to a number of community groups – including the PTA, 3VSAGE, TVTA, SEPTA, Music Boosters and Athletic Boosters – although "we are not acting on behalf of any particular organization. We're just parents and kids who care about protecting school programs," she said.

At least one of those groups has decided to support Reverse Halloween. In an email to Patch on Thursday, Dr. Tanya Adams, co-president of 3VSAGE, said the group feels it would be beneficial in getting the word out about the budget vote.

"I think it illustrates that these are young people, not dollar signs, adults are voting for, and they want and deserve a high quality education," Adams said.

Lobel said she thinks Reverse Halloween will offer a "teachable moment" for the kids and families who decide to participate.

"At the very least it just reminds people that the budget vote is very important, and the kids can be involved in something that can help their schools," she said.

Lobel is calling for Reverse Halloween to take place through May 8. The budget vote and trustee election is set for May 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.