What to Tell Your Kids About 'Threatening Clowns': BPS

BOSTON, MA — It was only a matter of time before the creepy clown craze came to Boston.

As rumors rage around the Internet and across the country, Boston Public Schools addressed the issue in a memo to parents Thursday. The superintendent's memo instructed parents on what to tell their kids, and stressed that there have been no credible threats here so far (although police are keeping an eye).

In the memo, Superintendent Tommy Chang describes the rampant reports of threatening clowns as a "nationwide social media trend." Such reports, almost entirely unfounded, have prompted school lock-downs, disrupted classes and sparked fear around the country, as well as here in Massachusetts.

Read More: Merrimack College Victim of Clown Hoax

BPS' public safety office, BPS police and the Boston Police Department are all "closely monitoring the issue" here in the city, Chang's memo said, but have not found any of the threats to be credible.

His ask? Just say "no" to clown threat rumor-mongering.

Tell your kids "to not engage in any of these types of social media message or or text messages," his memo states.

Actual threats or threatening activity of any kind toward a student should immediately be reported to city police and/or the school, Chang said. Additionally, students should not post personal information or info about their schools on social media, the memo said.

Oh, and one more thing? If students bring a clown mask or costume of any kind onto school property, Chang wrote, know that it will be confiscated.

It's not even the first time rumors like these have spread, but that hasn't stopped people (or some media outlets) from freaking out.

Of the numerous, almost entirely erroneous claims of "clown activity," precious few have been found to hold water. One exception is Auburn, where a parent wearing a clown mask reportedly followed a school bus this week.

Photo by adriagarcia, Flickr/Creative Commons