Schools
Mayan Calendar Rumors Concern Pinellas School Officials
Pinellas County Schools will increase patrols on Friday, after rumors circulated about potential threats of violence related to the Mayan calendar.
Rumors of potential violence connected to the end of the Mayan calendar on Dec. 21 have prompted Pinellas County School officials to increase security on Friday.
The increased security will be in place to make students and parents feel more secure, said schools spokeswoman Melanie Marquez.
The decision whether or not school absences are excused on Dec. 21 is being handled at the school level, Marquez said.
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Marquez said Friday would be a normally scheduled school day.
Pinellas students started reporting on Monday and Tuesday rumors of potential violence mostly associated with the end of the Mayan calendar, although students reportedly started hearing the rumors last week. But the Connecticut shooting on Friday, raised students' level of awareness and apparently caused them to report what they were hearing.
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Pinellas County School superintendent Mike Grego sent an email to principals on Tuesday, which said in part that school officials were taking the threats seriously, but no credible threats had been found at this time.