An upstate New York school district banned students in elementary school from wearing Halloween costumes related to the popular Netflix show “Squid Game.”
The Syracuse-area Fayetteville-Manlius Schools sent an email to parents with children enrolled in Mott Road, Enders Road, and Fayetteville Elementary schools informing them that “Squid Game” Halloween costumes will not be permitted in the schools, CNYCentral reported. The Halloween costume violates the elementary schools’ “costume guidelines” because of the “potential violent message” it represents.
Elementary-aged students were reportedly playing a version of the games depicted in the Korean Netflix series. Jonna Johnson, the principal at Mott Road Elementary, banned students from playing such games at recess or discussing the series on school property.
“We have observed that some students at recess have been playing a version of the squid game which is intended for mature audiences, ages 16 and older. Due to concerns about the potential violent nature of the game, it is inappropriate for recess play or discussion at school,” Johnson said. “Additionally, a Halloween costume from this show does not meet our school costume guidelines due to the potential violent message aligned with the costume.”
Waiters dressed in outfits from the Netflix series Squid Game pose while playing a game to attract customers at a cafe in Jakarta on October 19, 2021. (Photo by ADEK BERRY/AFP via Getty Images)
Superintendent Dr. Craig Tice repeated to CNYCentral that the costume does not need to depict a violent weapon to be reflective of the “potential violent messages aligned with the costume.”
“Each October, our elementary principals remind our families about our guidelines for Halloween costumes, namely that no items that can be interpreted as weapons should be brought to school, such as toy swords or guns, and that costumes should not be too gory or scary so as not to scare our younger students,” Tice said. “Staff members have recently noted that some students at recess have been mimicking games from ‘Squid Game,’ a Roblox video game, and a Netflix show that is intended for mature audiences due to the violence depicted in the show. Because of this activity, our principals wanted to make sure your families are aware that it would be inappropriate for any student to wear to school a Halloween costume from this show because of the potential violent messages aligned with the costume.”
“Squid Game” is considered Netflix’s “biggest-ever series at launch,” with 111 million accounts viewing the show in the first few days of its release. Earlier this year, the series “Bridgerton” held the title with 82 million households viewing the show in the first 28 days of its release. (RELATED: Creator Of Wildly Popular Dystopian Show Where People Play Games And Die Says World Was Ready For It Because Of Trump)
According to a study conducted by Design Bundles and CNN, searches for “Squid Game” costumes are “outnumbering searches for other film and TV character costumes.”