The Netflix television series 鈥淪quid Game鈥� is hugely popular, but Fayetteville-Manlius school officials want parents to know it has no place in schools as a Halloween costume or as a game at recess.
A letter sent to parents this week from principals at Mott Road, Enders Road and Fayetteville Elementary schools said 鈥淪quid Game鈥� costumes do 鈥渘ot meet our school costume guidelines due to the potential violent message aligned with the costume. 鈥�
鈥淐ostumes must follow school guidelines in that no items that can be interpreted as a weapon should be brought to school: including toy swords, guns, light sabers and more,鈥� the letter said.
In addition, costumes can鈥檛 be too gory or scary so they don鈥檛 scare younger students,鈥�' the letter said.
鈥淪quid Game,鈥� a Korean series, started streaming in mid-September and has become the No. 1 Netflix show, attracting more than 142 million member households during its first four weeks.
In the show, children鈥檚 games such as 鈥淩ed Light, Green Light鈥� become deadly. Somewhat like 鈥淗unger Games,鈥� the show is violent and bloody. It features desperate people deeply in debt who play the deadly games to try to win cash.
Already, 鈥淪quid Game鈥� Halloween costumes have become the top Internet search for costumes,The costumes are wildly popular everywhere,
Staff members at the F-M elementary schools also have observed some students at recess playing a version of 鈥淪quid Game,鈥� F-M Superintendent Craig Tice said.
Tice said they want parents to be aware some younger students are talking about and mimicking aspects of the show at school. He said he hopes parents talk to their kids about it and reinforce this is not appropriate at school.
On social media, F-M parents expressed alarm that younger students are watching this show and want to wear a costume from the series. Most supported the school鈥檚 decision.
