Leave creepy clown masks at home this Halloween, school divison tells students

The Winnipeg School Division is tellingstudents not to wear clown masks to school for Halloween because of the recent so-called creepy clownscares.

Spokesperson Radean Carter says the move isbeing made after a surge increepy clownsightingsreported on social mediaand in communities across the U.S. and Canada, including Winnipeg.

• Creepy clown phenomenon stretches from Cape Breton to southern U.S.

"Our code of conduct is very clear about threatening or bullying behaviour and it seems like the sole purpose of the creepy clown masks isto deliberately scare people," said Carter.

"School principals in the school division are asking our students and parents to just avoid wearing clown masks to school for Halloween, particularly the scary clown masks."

Leave creepy clown masks at home this Halloween, school divison tells students

8 years ago

Duration 1:40

The Winnipeg School Division is telling students not to wear clown masks to school for Halloween because of the recent so-called creepy clown scares.

Winnipeg police arrested two 17-year-old boys on Saturday nightafter people reported they were being chased by the teenswho were dressed up inclown costumes and masks in the Valley Gardens area.

Police sayone of the teenswascarrying a flashlight that looked like a weapon.

Carter said the two teens arrested do not attendschools within the Winnipeg School Division but she addedschools are taking these incidents seriously.

"Wehaven't had any of these incidents on any of our school properties and we're really happy about that," Carter said.

"But we are being very vigilant because it does come across as being threatening, and we've been advised by the police that if there's a concern for safety that we should be contacting police immediately."

• 2 teens in hot water after creepy clown prank in Winnipeg
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Carter says letters are being sent home to parents and Halloween safety reminders are being put up around high schools.

"Anyone acting in a threatening or bullying manner with or without a clown mask will face consequences subject to our code of conduct."

A spokespersonfor the Pembina Trails School Division says it's up to each school to use itsdiscretion in setting rules on whether studentsshould be allowed to wear clown masks for Halloween.

Halloween Maze cancels clown chase

Some Halloween events outside the city arescrapping plans to have staff dressup in clowncostumes this year.

Boonstra Farms in Stonewall, Man. has a Halloween Maze which also features a Tower of Terror with clowns inside.

Owner Murray Boonstra said they will still have clowns in the tower but therewill be no clownschasing people in the maze as inpreviousyears.

"There won't be anybody being chased by a clown this year, not our clowns anyway," said Boonstra.

"We have Jason with the chain-saw chasing people but now with this clown thing, no way," he laughs.

Boonstra said they will keepan eye out for pranksters who may show up wearing clown masks, adding the event is supposed to befun for the whole family.

The Spooky Barn is also changingplans to have clowns at their annualevent.

"This was the first year we were going to do clowns," said organizer Susan Lisoway.

"We kind of planned this way back in August and then this whole clown thing happened," she said.

The Spooky Barn, located near Birds Hill Park, is now in its seventhyear. The attraction has a bale maze that will have dolls wearing clown masks but there will be no staff dressed up asclowns.

"We did have some clown costumes but wenixed that just because of this whole clown thing that's going on. We just didn't think it was appropriate," said Lisoway.