NIANTIC, Conn. – Students at Lillie B. Haynes Elementary School can kiss Halloween goodbye.

Principal Melissa DeLoreto canceled the school’s annual Halloween traditions in a letter to parents yesterday because she contends some students may feel excluded from the festivities and adults may come dressed up as something scary, NBC Connecticut reports.

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“This decision was based on many factors including safety and exclusion of students. With increasing societal safety concerns, the number of adults who attended this event, some in costumes, poses a potential safety threat,” DeLoreto wrote.

“We believe school day activities must be inclusive for all students and we must be sensitive in regards to holidays and celebrations of religious, cultural or secular nature,” she continued. “Please know classroom celebrations will continue to take place however, they will be Fall themed, not Halloween.”

The safety concerns about adult costumes presumably stem from a creepy clown epidemic that’s swept across the United States in recent months. The epidemic involves reports of creepy clowns attempting to lure or attack children near schools and play areas, as well as online threats aimed at schools or students in dozens of states.

The decision at Haynes Elementary means no costumes, no Halloween candy, and no Halloween parade, according to Patch.com.

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At least one parent wrote in to Fox 61 to complain that DeLoreto is “killing kids’ fun.”

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Virtually everyone who commented about the situation on Fox 61’s Facebook page seemed to agree.

“I understand safety concerns regarding the parade,” Paula Malott posted. “But why not let them still wear costumes and have Halloween parties inside their classrooms?”

“OK, so they don’t want kids feeling excluded and what about the ones that enjoy their regular celebration which I’m sure are many, how is this fair?” Wanda Cabrera wrote. “Taking the rights from one to do things that have been done for so long, if some students don’t want to participate that’s their family’s choice … but everyday things and rights are taken away in the name of what? Let the celebration continue and let everyone choose what they do or not. I thought I lived in a free country.”

“Wow. Ruin the fun for the kids. I just hope other elementary schools don’t follow this idea,” Dolly Marie Gata wrote. “I could understand about being safe, but what’s that gotta do with dressing up in their costume? Smh.”

“The kids suffer because the idiotic adults in this society,” Robert Dube added. “Sad.”

“This is just plain absurd,” Tj Jacobsen wrote.

“So again we give in to the few and the majority lose out,” Carl Forester posted.