The Burlington Township School District recently sent out a statement regarding the "clown" situation which continues to cause a great deal of concern throughout the country. The County Sheriff's office released a statement calling for calm. Among the District's primary goals is taking all measures possible to protect our students, staff, and visitors while maintaining an environment in which everyone feels safe. Out of an abundance of caution, we are providing you with this public announcement.
Students across the country are receiving text messages involving scary clown images and reporting creepy clown sightings. If your child should receive any message(s) or if there are any sightings, you are urged to report it directly to the Burlington Township Police Department. This situation also provides you with an opportunity to discuss Internet safety with your child including safe practices regarding cell phone and social media use, while also emphasizing the dangers in participating in this trend electronically or physically.
Most importantly, to address concerns and assure safety, the wearing of clown or clown-like costumes or attire on any school owned property is now prohibited. This prohibition includes the wearing of masks, and theatrical or costume makeup that hides the wearer's identity. The only exception to this prohibition will be to permit elementary students to wear masks and makeup to District sponsored events scheduled on October 30 and October 31, however, clown costumes will still be prohibited at these events.
With Halloween quickly approaching, the District's decision may impact the costume choice of some of our students. We apologize for any inconvenience, but safety and security must remain our first priority. We appreciate your anticipated understanding of our decision to consider these necessary precautions. As always, student safety is of paramount importance to the District and we will continue to work closely with the BTPD.
Liz Scott, Director of Human Resources & Community Relations Burlington Township Schools