Los Angeles schools to reopen after terrorism scare

os Angeles County's largest school system abruptly canceled classes for 650,000 students Tuesday after an email threat, a sign of how tense public officials are after recent terror attacks. New York City deemed a similar threat a “hoax“ and kept schools open.

Los Angeles schools Superintendent Ramon Cortines said although the district gets threats "all the time," recent events in San Bernardino, about 60 miles east of the city, and elsewhere elevated this threat. "I, as superintendent, am not going to take the chance with the life of a student," he said.

"What we are doing today is not different from what we always do except we are doing it in a mass way."

About 12 hours after the superintendent's action, Mayor Eric Garcetti said it was determined there was not "a credible threat" and it was announced that schools would reopen Wednesday.

New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton said a generic email threat was sent to multiple school officials in Los Angeles, New York and possibly other districts across the nation. He said the threat appeared to originate abroad and probably was not "the usual prank of a student not wanting to take an exam."