Public schools in Springfield are open today but with extra security due to dozens of bomb threats the district has received in the past week.
The threats come after former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance continue to repeat false and racist rumors about Haitian-Americans living in the city.
“So we just got to be very careful about pointing fingers, about making statements that we don't know to be true so that we don't upset ourselves over things that may or may not be the truth at all."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday that public schools in Springfield would be getting security help from state troopers.
At an educational complex on the north side of the city that includes an elementary, middle, and high school, around half a dozen officers from various departments are observing the schools in vehicles and a watch tower.
Posts about more threats to the schools continue to spread on social media today, so some parents have decided to pick up their children and bring them home.
That’s what Tanisa Norman decided to do after a family member alerted her about a new threat at Springfield High School, which her child attends.
“I’m very very nervous and scared, because what do you do as a parent?" Norman said.
City officials have said all threats are being investigated by local law enforcement and the FBI, and that, so far, all threats appear to be hoaxes.
As disruption and threats continue, leaders in Springfield are urging community members to exercise caution and responsibility when sharing information.
The city of Springfield said sensational rumors have "significantly impacted our community, creating unnecessary fear, division, and financial strain."
The city also said threats tied to those false claims resulted in the closure of schools, disrupting the learning environment for children and creating anxiety for families.
Monte Brigham is the principal at Roosevelt Middle School in Springfield. This afternoon, he spoke to students and staff over the public announcement system that could be heard outside the building.
“So we just got to be very careful about pointing fingers, about making statements that we don't know to be true so that we don't upset ourselves over things that may or may not be the truth at all," he said.
The Springfield City School District says that state troopers will monitor the district’s buildings and sweep them twice daily for threats for the foreseeable future.
