By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com


Due to what is perceived as a credible threat, there is no school today at Oxford Middle School or in the Oxford Community School District as a whole, and that means no trip to Oxford today by the Brighton Area Schools’ Pack of Dogs and their human handlers.

The trained, social-emotional learning dogs from Brighton went to the middle school last Friday with their handlers to comfort students in the wake of the Nov. 30th school shootings that left four students dead and seven other people injured. Several of the Brighton therapy dogs returned to the Oxford school on Monday, and in fact, were originally scheduled to return each day through the end of the school week. But in the wake of the new threat, everything is up in the air.

In an announcement posted by Oxford school officials at 8:41 p.m. Monday night, the decision was made to cancel classes for the day today “out of an abundance of caution.” The threat made Monday was described in the announcement as, “an image from social media that included a specific threat directed at our middle school.” The district immediately notified parents and law enforcement, which is investigating the matter.

In the announcement, it was stated that “a full security check” was to take place in all buildings. The announcement stated that those found responsible “will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” Those arrested for making such threats could face charges of “knowingly making a false threat of terrorism” — a 20-year felony in Michigan.