Barberton school students were greeted by additional police at the high school and middle school campus Monday morning after “inappropriate comments” were made on social media Sunday night.
Police are investigating and parents were allowed to keep their children home as a precaution.
“There were a lot of students who did stay home today, which is fine,” Superintendent Patricia Cleary said.
She also noted that it is exam week in the district.
Police couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
But Cleary said police didn’t consider the issue serious enough to close the schools.
She said someone posted a message to the After School app that anyone important shouldn’t go to school Monday. It didn’t mention Barberton specifically but students panicked, assuming it was about the district and then additional messages were posted from Barberton students that made the initial message appear more sinister, Cleary said.
The district posted the news on its Facebook page Sunday night and said it would alert parents Monday morning.
Some people were upset that parents weren’t notified Sunday.
But given the police response and the lateness in the day, the district didn’t want to send out an alert at midnight, Cleary said.
Anyone who stayed home will face no penalty and exams will be made up.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .