New York elementary schools ban ‘Squid Game’ costumes for Halloween

School principals in several elementary schools in New York do not want their students wearing “Squid Game” costumes.

Not for New York kids: The Fayetteville-Manlius School District, which includes schools Enders Road, Mott Road and Fayetteville, has banned the wearing of costumes based on the characters in the hit Netflix show from South Korea, reported CBS News.

In the show, adult contestants play deadly versions of children’s games hoping to win a large amount of money.
Superintendent Dr. Craig Tice said in a statement that wearing a “Squid Game” Halloween costume to school would be inappropriate for elementary school students “because of the potential violent messages aligned with the costume.”
The superintendent noted that costumes with items “that can be interpreted as weapons” and costumes that are “too gory or scary” are not allowed at school events under their district’s guidelines.
According to Tice, some students have been mimicking games from the show during recess, prompting principals to talk to families about reinforcing the message to their children that “games associated with violent behavior are not appropriate for recess.”
The district reportedly informed the students’ parents about the decision to ban the costumes in an email.
Some parents have pushed back against the schools’ costume ban, with one woman saying it’s enough to simply not let children watch the show, according to the BBC.

Similar bans elsewhere: “Squid Game” costumes, which have become a popular choice for Halloween, have also been banned in a school in Ireland and a school in Spain.

In the U.K., the Central Integrated Primary School cautioned parents to “please be aware of what your children are accessing.”
In Panama City, Fla., the Bay District Schools issued similar warnings against the show’s mature content.
“We are seeing kids trying to actually hurt each other in the name of this ‘game,'” the district said. “We don’t want anyone to get hurt and we don’t want to generate discipline referrals for students who don’t really understand what they are re-enacting.”

Featured Image via Make It or Break It (left), FRIENDSHIP GOALS TV (right)

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