Yes, it has come to this: An Internet prank involving people dressed as clowns has made it necessary for Verona’s public schools to issue a statement about what will and won’t fly this Halloween.
On Thursday, Superintendent Rui Dionisio, said that Verona Public Schools have been working with the Verona Police Department to quell clown concerns. “The police have investigated these concerns,” the statement said, “and have indicated there are have been no threats to Verona Public Schools or the Verona community.”
“The VPD has shared that these reports are unsubstantiated and there is no credible evidence of a threat or danger of any kind,” Dionisio added. “The extent of this concern in Verona has been isolated to parents and students discussing hearsay from news reported by the media, information students may be reading on social media, and rumors children may be hearing from others. For these reasons, the Verona Public Schools will remain open for learning as scheduled as it has been determined that our schools continue to be a safe place for our students.”
Dionisio’s letter asks parents to assure their children that there have been no substantiated clown threats or illegal activity in Verona. “Inform your children that any individuals who perpetuate rumors for the purpose of causing anxiety and disruption to our community will be dealt with accordingly with our schools and the Verona Police Department,” he added.
As an extra caution, Dionisio asked parents to not allow their children to dress up as clown this Halloween. He also asked that parents “explain the risks involved with reposting, retweeting, sharing or liking information on social media related to these events. Please remind your child to not share any personal information on social media.”
Snopes, a site that works to debunk Internet rumors, has done a pretty thorough job on the supposed clown threats. You can read its post here.
