Rumored threat keeps 350 students home from Meskwaki school

A rumored threat put the Meskwaki Settlement School on alert status Monday and kept about one-third of the school's approximately 350 students home, Superintendent Jerry Stephens said.

According to the rumor, which had not been substantiated by Monday afternoon, someone on the settlement “made some kind of statement about coming to the school Monday with the intention of harming the school or students,” Stephens said.

As a precaution, the school went on heightened alert, which is short of lock-down status, until 11 a.m. Monday, he said.

Stephens said the incident remains under investigation by the Meskwaki Settlement police, who had not issued a public statement on the matter as of Monday afternoon.

Normal school operations are anticipated for today, he said.