Why Halloween Costumes are the Tricky Part of the College Party

Last year, several colleges made national news when tensions flared over culturally insensitive Halloween costumes. The good news is that the issue launched thoughtful dialogues all over the country. The bad news is that not everyone agrees on what’s harmful and what’s humorous – so it’s up to students to make their own choices and deal with the consequences.

My daughter and her roommate struggled with this dilemma over their recent fall break. One rainy afternoon they raided our attic in se...