2 MI school districts cancel classes due to end of the world nonsense

It's less than 24 hours until the prophesized end of the world occurs and two school districts in Michigan have decided to cancel classes.

Their explanation is unsatisfactory:

Thousands of students will have an extra long holiday break after school administrators in at least two Michigan counties decided to cancel classes because of talk surrounding the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut and rumors connected to the Mayan calendar predicting the end of the world.

Five districts in Lapeer County and 20 districts in Genesee County posted announcements Wednesday evening cancelling classes Thursday and Friday.

"Given the recent events in Connecticut, there have been numerous rumors circulating in our district, and in neighboring districts, about potential threats of violence against students. Additionally, rumors connected to the Mayan calendar predicted end of the world on Friday have also surfaced," a letter from Matt Wandrie, Superintendent of Lapeer Community Schools said.

These rumors of violence have been thoroughly investigated and determined to be false. There have been no credible threats made against any of our students.  However, these rumors have been a serious distraction for students, teachers, administrators, and parents. Therefore, given the significant disruption to the teaching and learning process, I have decided, along with my fellow superintendents of Lapeer County, to cancel school for both Thursday, December 20th, and Friday, December 21st," the letter said.

"Rumors" are canceling classes? If you're concerned about safety, how about stationing a big, beefy police officer at the entrance to the school? The only reason the rumors are a distraction is because the school districts are wildly overreacting to both the shootings in Newtown and the end of the world nonsense.

Why should rumors of the end of the world be mentioned at all? What does this tell students about the sanity of their district superintendents? This is nothing more than school districts covering their backsides by letting parents know that even the most idiotic rumor - end of the world - will be treated seriously.

After all, if the world ends, the districts wouldn't want to be sued for not seeing it coming.