The popular Netflix TV show Squid Game has become a phenomenon and now, with Halloween around the corner, many people are considering dressing up in the same costume as the characters, yet that will not be possible in one New York school district.
There is a fear that, given some of the violence seen in Squid Game, some impressionable students may try to act out some of these scenes in real life.
As CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported on Monday, three elementary schools near Syracuse are banning Squid Game costumes at Halloween events. The typical costumes consist of jumpsuits, tracksuits and masks.
“[The Squid Game outfits] do not meet our school costume guidelines due to the potential violent message aligned with the costume,” said the Fayetteville-Manlius district.
“One of the things we’ve been hearing about in school districts all across the country, is children coming to school and playing Squid Games on the playground,” added Dr. Joseph Ricca.
“It’s never appropriate to play at harming one another and that really is the guiding principle here.”
It is not just in the USA that has seen these measures come into effect, as a school in Ireland and another in Spain have also banned Squid Game costumes.
As written in the Times, Castle Park Elementary School in Dublin has taken this decision after seeing a rise in students mimicking several of the violent scenes from Squid Game.
It is a similar story at a school in Madrid, where parents are being told to not let their children watch Squid Game if they are under the age of 16.
This will be frustrating for many people who were planning to go in Squid Game costume, with CNN claiming that costumes from the popular Netflix show are the top internet search this Halloween.