Ohio Governor Sends State Troopers To Boost Security At Springfield Schools

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Monday  that he is sending Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers to be stationed at each of the Springfield school districts 18 buildings beginning tomorrow and continuing for the foreseeable future.

The move is in response to multiple schools in Springfield recently having to be evacuated following a series of bomb threats . The threats began after former President Donald Trump; his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio; and their allies started spreading the blatantly racist lie  that the citys Haitian immigrants are eating peoples pets and posing a danger to other residents  a baseless smear  that Springfield officials warn is contributing to increased hostility against the town . The Republican governor did not mention Trump nor Vance in his announcement.

Many of these threats are coming in from overseas, made by those who want to fuel the current discord surrounding Springfield. We cannot let the bad guys win, DeWine said in a statement. We must take every threat seriously, but children deserve to be in school, and parents deserve to know that their kids are safe. The added security will help ease some of the fears caused by these hoaxes.

About 36 troopers with the OHSPs Mobile Field Force will provide added security to the schools by sweeping each building for threats before students and staff arrive and staying on campus throughout the school day and during dismissal, according to the governor. None of the threats so far have been legitimate, DeWine said, but the increased security is purely as a precaution so schools are prepared.

In the wake of the threats and the newfound attention on Springfield, Haitian residents reported that they feel unsafe, some of them opting to keep their children home from school .  

The false tales have also led to the evacuation of Springfields City Hall due to bomb threats and the cancellation of all events and remote classes at Wittenberg University due to a threatened shooting targeting Haitian immigrant students.  

In a CNN interview on Sunday, Vance admitted to creating a story of Haitian immigrants eating pets. 

If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then thats what Im going to, Dana, he told CNN s Dana Bash. Because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast.

Dana, it comes from firsthand accounts from my constituents. I say that were creating a story, meaning were creating the American media focusing on it, the senator said before baselessly claiming that Harris allowed 20,000 undocumented migrants into Springfield. (Most of the Haitian immigrants in Springfield are there legally .)  But yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering created by Kamala Harris policies. Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, has not been in a position to create policies.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue called for peace when talking to Bash on CNN on Sunday , adding that politicians and those running for office should understand the weight of their words and how they could harm a community like ours.