All Public Schools in Los Angeles County Shut Down

Update, 3:40 p.m. EST: Hours after officials decided to cancel school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, a House Intelligence Committee member confirmed this morning’s threat was a hoax.


 

Previously:

All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District were directed to close early Tuesday morning after officials electronically received a “credible terrorist threat” affecting multiple schools in the district. It’s the country’s second-largest school district, serving 640,000 students. A massive operation is now underway to search campuses—900 schools, and 187 public charter schools across the network—for suspicious-looking items.

At a press conference shortly after the decision was announced, school officials called the decision “swift and appropriate given the situation that we are in.”

“It was many schools, not specifically identified,” LA’s school superintendent, Ramon Cortines, told reporters. “But there were many schools.”

“We ask for the patience and the cooperation and the support of the city,” he added. “The education of our kids is incredibly important.”

Officials have asked parents to “bring proper ID” when picking up students who were already at school before the decision was made.

In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said the city had received the same threat but officials ultimately concluded it was a hoax.

“Our schools are safe,” de Blasio said. “Kids should be in school today. We will be vigilant. But we are absolutely convinced our schools are safe.”

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

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