Administrators Reverse Course, Cancel Classes At Detroit's Cass Tech Following Threat
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Administrators have changed their minds and are closing Cass Technical High School in Detroit Friday after a threat against teachers was made on social media.
Detroit Public Schools Transition Manager Steven Rhodes says he decided to cancel classes at the school Friday after consulting with the school's principal, the district's police chief and leaders of the Detroit Federation of Teachers.
With the decision to close school Friday, the district reversed course on an earlier message to parents to send their children to school as normal Thursday and Friday.
District officials learned of the threat Wednesday morning, which was made through the social media app Kik. According to reports, the threat mentioned someone taking a gun to school on Friday to kill teachers. School officials had previously said they determined the threat to be non-credible.
Rhodes said he held a meeting in partnership with the Detroit Federation of Teachers at the school with parents and teachers to discuss their concerns. He also said the district would be reviewing its threat response protocols and procedures.
"In the meantime, the investigation into this week's social media threat is ongoing and anyone who is found to be responsible for this unlawful action will be prosecuted to the fullest extent under Federal Cyber Security/Terrorism laws," Rhodes said in a statement.
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