Amidst alleged threats related to misleading reports about Haitian immigrants, schools in Springfield, Ohio, initiate their operations on Tuesday with heightened security measures.
Ohio law enforcement, surveillance cameras, and explosive detection canines will beef up security at Springfield schools, which have received over 30 bomb threats since last Friday's evening, as announced by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Monday.
The threats started pouring in following the recent presidential debate, where former President Donald Trump spread unverified claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield allegedly stealing and consuming domestic pets. DeWine dismissively condemned these false accusations about Springfield's Haitian immigrants, stating to CNN that business leaders view Haitian immigrants as "essential" to their operations.
Springfield, a city in southwestern Ohio with a population of approximately 60,000, is located about 80 miles north of Cincinnati. Over the past three years, the city has experienced a 25% population surge, partially due to an influx of Haitian immigrants, according to Mayor Rob Rue's statements to CNN.
Beginning on Tuesday, 36 state troopers from the patrol's mobile field force will conduct safety checks of each of the district's 17 school facilities before classes commence and will continue to offer protection throughout the day, as per DeWine's declaration.
Additionally, the governor has ordered the Ohio Department of Homeland Security to perform evaluations of the city's infrastructure vulnerabilities and provide surveillance cameras to the police.
Bomb detection dogs will be stationed in the city daily, DeWine pointed out.
Two institutions of higher learning and two elementary schools shut down in-person instruction on Monday due to separate threats, all of which were deemed invalid by the governor.
Pupils at Simon Kenton and Kenwood Elementary schools were evacuated on Monday based upon information received from local law enforcement, according to the Springfield City School District's official statement. This incident marks six facilities within the district that have been targeted by threats in the past week, the district noted.
Wittenberg University reported on Monday that it would transition to virtual learning for the remainder of the week due to bomb threats and a campus threat targeting "Haitian community members." The university reported five separate threats since Saturday, most of which have been addressed, explained school President Michael Frandsen to CNN on Monday. Enhanced police presence has been implemented on campus, said Frandsen.
Clark State College also declared that its campuses will close this week and classes will shift online after receiving similar threats through email.
Besides the city's schools, two nearby hospitals were forced to close temporarily due to threats last week.
This year's annual arts and cultural festival planned for September 27 and 28 in Springfield has been canceled due to safety concerns.
Unsubstantiated allegations against the Haitian community
As per the city's website, roughly 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants reside in Clark County, where Springfield serves as the county seat. In the 2020 presidential election, approximately 61% of Clark County voters cast their ballots in favor of Donald Trump and Mike Pence, while 37% supported Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
The city admits that some Haitian immigrants are present legally under a parole program that grants eligible individuals and legal residents the right to apply for family members from Haiti to join them in the United States.
"These Haitians who are here are legal, they work extremely hard," DeWine stated on Monday.
No evidence was found to support other claims, such as Haitians stealing geese from local parks, confirmed officials with the Clark County Sheriff's Office.
CNN reporters Paradise Afshar, Chris Boyette, Kit Maher, and Taylor Romine contributed to this story.
The heightened security measures are necessary for the safety of all students at Springfield schools, as 'us' (the community) has been dealing with over 30 bomb threats since last Friday. The Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, has ordered the Ohio Department of Homeland Security to provide surveillance cameras to help maintain security in the city.
