Officials with the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) said all San Diego schools would open and operate as usual Tuesday following the closure of all schools in Los Angeles.
SDUSD officials said extra security measures will be in place at local schools as officials monitor developments in Los Angeles, about 125 miles north of San Diego County. The district posted an update on its Twitter feed just after 8 a.m.
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On Tuesday morning, all Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools were closed and all students already at schools were sent home while authorities investigated a possible threat to multiple unnamed schools, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed.
LAUSD Supt. Ramon Cortines said the school district received what authorities described as an electronic safety threat, but further details were not immediately available.
The LAUSD is the nation's second-largest school district and serves 640,000 students. Cortines said the district-wide closures were put in place out of “an abundance of caution.”
“I am not taking a chance of bringing children into a place, into any part of a building, until I know that it’s safe," Cortines said during the briefing in Los Angeles. "I, as superintendent, am not going to take the chance with the life of a student."
Meanwhile, SDUSD officials said, as of 7:45 a.m., local schools had not received any threats. Parents were advised to take their children to school as usual. District officials insisted the safety of students is a top priority, but said there is no reason to have schools closed today in San Diego.
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) echoed this stance, releasing the following statement Tuesday morning:
"As of 8:30 a.m. this morning, the San Diego County Office of Education is not aware of any threats to any school district in San Diego County.
Due to the proximity of the upcoming holiday vacation, we need to recognize this may cause a copycat situation in our schools in an attempt to start an early vacation. SDCOE has advised districts to be extra vigilant in assessing any threats that may be received and has provided materials to assist districts in communicating with parents about situations like this.
Students and staff who notice any suspicious or threatening behavior, whether on social media on in the community, should report it immediately. It will be investigated, and if appropriate, reported to law enforcement. By working together, we can continue to keep our students safe and supported in our community."
In north San Diego County, the Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD) also said all its schools would remain open as usual Tuesday, posting this message on Twitter:
The Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) also said its schools would remain open Tuesday, as no threats had been received.
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