Clown Costumes Banned at Elementary School in Columbia This Halloween

COLUMBIA, MD — Clown costumes are out of the question for students in at least two Howard County elementary schools this Halloween.

Atholton Elementary School in Columbia and Centennial Lane Elementary School in Ellicott City have issued a ban on clowns at their festivities. School officials alerted families Tuesday that children are not allowed to dress as clowns for Halloween celebrations and fall festivals at the schools this year.

"In the past several weeks a social media message that threatens harm to students in schools has spread across the United States. The message, known as 'The Creepy Clown Threat,' is a national hoax where a message is posted on multiple social media sites from a 'clown' that threatens to harm people within schools. This hoax has now reached schools within Maryland," according to a statement from Atholton Elementary School.

"Due to this unfortunate circumstance, we are not permitting students or adults to wear a clown costume on school property during our Fall Festival and Halloween celebration," school officials said of the Oct. 28 event at Atholton.

Clowns have not been banned systemwide, according to John White, director of communications for the Howard County Public School System.

The decision about costumes is made by each principal, White said.

Recently, Howard County police and school officials have been keeping tabs on any local threats.

"We have investigated all threats and in two instances identified individual students and administered discipline in accordance with the student code of conduct," White told Patch on Tuesday.

A series of "creepy clown" incidents have sprung up in at least 28 states in recent weeks, according to the New York Times. More than a dozen people have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incidents.

In Maryland, a Prince George's County high school student was arrested last week for threatening mass violence there, and a Westminster teen who made similar threats in Washington County was charged in a separate case.

The first creepy clown report was said to have been in South Carolina in mid-August when a group of children told a sinister tale of clowns trying to entice them with money to an abandoned house in the woods. Police weren’t sure if the sightings were real or the product of children’s imaginations.

As the craze has spread, creepy clown sightings have become something of an urban legend. However, police — including in Howard County — are getting serious about the reports, which have resulted in school lockdowns in Ohio and Alabama. Ronald McDonald will even be laying low for a while, reportedly limiting his appearances due to "the current climate around clown sightings..." a spokesperson for the franchise told NBC.

In at least one case, there was serious violence related to clown hysteria.

A 16-year-old was fatally stabbed in Pennsylvania last month over a controversy that reportedly erupted in his neighborhood because he was wearing a clown mask, according to NBC Philadelphia.

Here is the full statement from Atholton Elementary about the ban on Halloween costumes:

"In the past several weeks a social media message that threatens harm to students in schools has spread across the United States. The message, known as, 'The Creepy Clown Threat,' is a national hoax where a message is posted on multiple social media sites from a 'clown' that threatens to harm people within schools.

"This hoax has now reached schools within Maryland. The HCPSS is working with the Howard County Police Department to ensure that any threat is taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. The HCPSS utilizes a threat management process to determine appropriate actions when a threat is received.

"The safety of our students is our top priority. Please take this opportunity to encourage your child to immediately contact any adult in his/her school if he/she has any safety concerns.

"Due to this unfortunate circumstance, we are not permitting students or adults to wear a clown costume on school property during our Fall Festival and Halloween celebration. Our Halloween parade and celebration will take place Friday, October 28th. We will send home more details soon about our celebration and the alternative activity for students who do not celebrate Halloween. Please contact administration if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you."

Photo of clown via Paul Brennan (public domain).