Working with children carries enormous responsibility, not only in professional terms but also on a personal level. One must be highly aware of one’s own actions, words, and deeds. That’s what makes the job so difficult and challenging, even for those who don’t work directly with children. Simply working in the same place where there are many children already implies responsibilities. This situation can lead to certain tensions regarding the boundaries between different individuals.
That has been the case for a worker at Broken Ground Elementary School in Concord, New Hampshire. Although he didn’t break any laws, some of his colleagues were surprised to discover that this janitor had stayed late in the building, wandering around and taking photos dressed as a sinister clown. Why? While some people don’t need reasons to dress up as evil entities, this person did it to participate in an online “clown contest” with a prize of $13,000 for the winner.
His coworkers found out precisely because the janitor informed them himself. He placed post-it notes around the school, letting his colleagues know that he needed help to win the contest. He hoped to use the prize money to fund his independent film and cover some family expenses.
Up to this point, it’s odd, but more problematic are some comments this person made online. He stated that he identifies with movie monsters for various reasons, especially with Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th — a character famous for exclusively targeting teenagers — and that he experiences moments of rage and anger, which he perceives as self-defense. The whole situation sounds somewhat disturbing.
Of course, this doesn’t imply that this person is a danger to anyone. In fact, after an investigation by the school district, he has been allowed to continue his job and take photos dressed as a sinister clown, now with full authorization. If it works for him and doesn’t harm anyone, who are we to judge?
