toledoblade.com --

Hundreds of students were absent from Bowsher High School yesterday, and about 100 others went home early after hearing rumors of threats of violence after an incident in which two girls defaced a Bible and ate some of its pages, authorities said.

Between 300 and 400 students were absent from school, twice the daily average absentee figure. The school has about 1,300 students.

No criminal charges have been filed against any students, and no disciplinary action has been taken. Three menacing reports related to the incident were filed with Toledo police.

As a precaution police and Toledo Public Schools security have increased patrols at the building at 3548 South Detroit Ave.

"Our major problem is uncontrollable rumors. The school is safe," said Officer Phil Carroll, a community service officer who has worked at Bowsher for five years.

The situation started during lunch Tuesday when two girls in a group of seven students began defacing a Bible and tearing out the pages and eating them, authorities said.

Sophomore Megan Healy tells why she asked her mother, Jane, Healy, to pick her up early.
( BLADE PHOTO BY ANDY MORRISON )

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The students were wearing "Gothic" styled clothes and were planning to attend the Marilyn Manson concert scheduled at the Sports Arena that night.

Goths usually wear black clothing, inspired by antique Gothic fashions, and often use black lipstick, black eye shadow, and black eyeliner, and dye their hair jet black.

Another group of teens confronted the students, who were wearing black clothing and lipstick and had "Welcome, Marilyn" balloons. Words were exchanged between the groups about their beliefs before a school official stopped the dispute.

In the afternoon, rumors of a "hit list" targeting athletes, cheerleaders, "preppies," and blacks; assaults against groups of students, and other violent threats circulated through the building. The hit list allegedly belonged to the students wearing the Gothic-style clothing.

Students involved in the cafeteria incident were questioned, but authorities said they found nothing to substantiate the rumors. Authorities talked to about 25 students and plan to interview 10 to 15 more who were not in school yesterday.

Students who walked out of school after the incident Tuesday could be held truant, Larry Sykes, school board president, said.

Many of the students involved in the cafeteria incident did not go to school yesterday.

"The group who started this was asked to stay home. They caused a disruption. My recommendation is they come back on Monday," Mr. Sykes said, adding that these students received counseling.

Some parents who were going to drop off their children at school in the morning yesterday took them home after seeing six police cars in front of the building and hearing about the rumors.

Other parents came for their children after they received a call from them or heard about the situation on the news.

Jane Healy left work early to pull her 15-year-old daughter, Megan, a sophomore, out of school after fearing for her safety.

"I'm concerned for her safety until things are settled. Apparently there is something happening here," Ms. Healy said.

Dr. Sheila Austin, deputy superintendent, said it was a "normal" school day for the students and teachers. A girls' basketball game went on as planned but with extra security.

Students who stayed in school said they heard about the rumors but did not feel unsafe.

"I think it's stupid that people left because of rumors," said Sarah Cullison, 16, a junior.

An investigation into the incident is continuing, and criminal charges could be filed or disciplinary action could be taken, Officer Carroll said.

Police and school security plan to step up patrols the rest of the week, especially during arrival, lunch, and dismissal times.

In an unrelated incident at the school, one student was arrested for having drug paraphernalia, police said.

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