EVERETT — At least three Snohomish County school districts have reported problems in recent days with hoaxes involving fictional “creepy clowns.”
A wave of reported clown sightings and clown-themed social media threats has spread across the country. In Western Washington, schools and police have been sending out alerts.
School districts in Everett, Marysville and Mukilteo this week sent out alerts to parents.
“Our school resource officers have investigated this matter and believe it to be an urban legend,” according to a statement posted online by the Marysville School District.
Under the law, making a false clown report or a vague threat to a campus, even on social media, can lead to criminal charges and school discipline. Teens in the county have been charged with felonies in connection with bomb threats in the past.
Some places in Washington have made arrests in connection with the clown craze. One student in Auburn was expelled for creating a “Killer Clown” Facebook page, according to a story in The News Tribune in Tacoma.
In Marysville, the rumors spread at Marysville Getchell High School, Marysville Pilchuck High School and Cedarcrest Middle School, district spokeswoman Emily Wicks said Wednesday. The district began posting notices for parents on Monday, with an update Tuesday.
Wicks recommended that parents and students be careful what they share on social media. She also asked that any potential threats continue to be reported.
“Be assured that the Marysville School District administration and Marysville police will continue to monitor this matter and provide updates as needed,” she said.
The Everett School District on Wednesday issued a similar message to families of students at Everett and Cascade high schools. A clown-related post on social media had specified those campuses and was considered “suspicious,” Superintendent Gary Cohn said. The district and police were trying to identify the poster. Parents were allowed to pick up students early Wednesday if they wished.
“At this time, we don’t believe there is a specific danger, but in exercising an abundance of caution, we’re sharing this information with you,” Cohn wrote.
Mukilteo’s warning said the district has “no reason to believe that any of our schools or our students are in any danger from these rumors.” It also warned that such threats, even when made in jest, disrupt the school day.
The Bothell Police Department also posted about clowns on Twitter on Tuesday.
That post used the phrase, “Not happening now.”
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com; @rikkiking.
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