FORSYTH COUNTY – Rumors that a recent national trend of scary clowns terrorizing children and schools has reached Forsyth County are so far unsubstantiated and remain social media thoughts, officials said.

Students are apparently perpetuating various rumblings that people dressed up as “creepy clowns” will come to public schools in Forsyth County to harm other students and teachers, though no actual threat has been made, said Jennifer Caracciolo, spokeswoman for the school system.

“We are aware that the national rumored clown threat is now on local social media. Though we have found that there is no credibility in these rumors, they are impacting all of our high schools and a number of our elementary and middle schools,” Caracciolo said.

Parents have been calling into schools asking about the situation, she said, and some students have voiced they are scared to go to class.

Caracciolo said parents should discuss the consequences of spreading such rumors with their children and that parents and students should “contact their school administration with all valid threats for investigation by the district’s Safety Department and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.”

“We have investigated any claims that have come in and have found nothing credible,” said Cpl. Robin Regan, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

The “clown attack” phenomenon reportedly stems from rumors of clown sightings in Greenville, South Carolina, in late August where people would lure children into the woods.

Those claims were unsubstantiated.

Sightings have since been reported in states throughout the nation. While many were hoaxes, some incidents resulted in arrests for terroristic threats.

Caracciolo said while no actual threats have been made and no hoaxes have been carried out in Forsyth County so far, “students making false threats or involved in hoaxes will face disciplinary consequences.”