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Clown watch eliminates pranks at area schools Friday Oct 7, 2016 at 5:26 PM Oct 7, 2016 at 5:42 PM Nick Morgan Mail Tribune @mtcrimebeat Rumors of clown-related pranks caused headaches for local school districts this week. The threat of scary clowns appearing at Medford schools was eliminated Thursday and Friday by the visible presence of police, campus monitors and school administrators on clown patrol, according to Medford School District spokeswoman Natalie Hurd. Medford and Eagle Point school districts sent letters to parents Thursday and Friday about their no-nonsense stance toward clowning around. "Because this issue has created concern in our community, we will be banning clown costumes from all district locations for Halloween this year," according to a message to parents sent by Eagle Point School District Superintendent Cynda Rickert. It was a challenge for adults to understand the craze and where it was coming from, Hurd said. Her research showed the fad started on the East Coast and spread online. She and administrators held a conference call with Medford police to talk about parents' concerns. The national phenomenon of supposedly sinister sightings, which is believed to have started in South Carolina in August, hit the Medford School District's radar at the beginning of the week, Hurd said. "We didn't want to add to the hysteria," she said. Rumors varied between schools, Hurd said, but they drew concerns from parents, teachers and students. Younger students at elementary schools were afraid clowns would appear and scare them, while high school students had safety concerns of their own. “There was talk at the high schools of people dressing up like clowns and doing something bad," Hurd said. "That’s as detailed as I had heard.” Hurd said the district decided to reach out to parents Thursday after 21-year-old Michael Richard was arrested Wednesday for allegedly donning a scary clown mask and posting photos of himself on the grounds of several area schools while holding a sign that said, "We are here." He faces misdemeanor disorderly conduct and trespassing charges. Grants Pass High School, the venue for a football game Friday night against South Medford, banned face makeup because of that school district's own clown concerns, according to Hurd. "We are absolutely complying with their request, because it's safety-related," Hurd said. — Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat.