Hart district bans clown costumes on all campuses

Bozo the Clown will not be one of this year’s top Halloween costumes for Santa Clarita’s teens.

The William S. Hart Union High School District instituted a district-wide ban of clown costumes on all of its campuses this Halloween following the nationwide clown scare.

“Given the controversy surrounding the creepy clowns around the country the district has asked that all the schools try not to allow the creepy clowns as costumes,” said Hart district spokesman Dave Caldwell.

Some schools have explicit statements on their websites telling students and parents not to wear clown costumes, while others inform students that they must always follow the district’s dress code.

At West Ranch High School, students were told that “clown costumes cannot be worn” and that they must remain in appropriate and modest attire.

Those who violate the dress code at West Ranch will be brought to the school office and given a shirt to wear or will wait for their parents to bring them a change of clothes, according to the school’s website.

At Placerita Junior High School, the administration informed its students that dress code for normal school days still applies and that clown costumes are forbidden.

“This year, our district

is

also banning any clown costumes. In light of the recent social media scares involving clowns in the community, we will not allow any clown costumes on campus for Halloween this year,” the school’s website announced.

Additional Halloween prohibitions for the school include: no masks or fullface coverings, weapons, excessive blood and gore, slippers or pajamas, bare midriffs, short skirts, low necklines, underwear or immodest clothing, demeaning or insulting outfits, and outfits that promote drug or alcohol use.

Rancho Pico Junior High School shared a similar sentiment on its website regarding clown costumes.

“No clown costumes, of any kind, will be allowed this year given the current concerns arising from the ‘Creepy Clown’ social media trend,” the website announcement read.

Clown hysteria began in August when South Carolinians reported seeing clowns trying to lure children into the woods.

The trend moved across the nation in the following months, reaching Santa Clarita in early October when residents reported seeing clowns and authorities detained two men Oct. 16.

Businesses responded to the “creepy clown scare” as well with Target pulling all of its clown costumes and masks from its store shelves and online in mid-October.

ccox@signalscv.com