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School Shuts Down Two Days In A Row Because Some Jerk Keeps Making Threats
A Manhattan Beach high school shut down for the second day in a row because some jerk won't stop making vague threats on anonymous messaging app Yik Yak. Yik Yak is a simple messaging app you can download on Android or iOS. You can use the app to simply send a message into the ether. Like this joke that appears as a top Yak on the app's site: "My gpa is lower than my high score in Tetris. But that's ok because a gpa of 3,161,959 is unreasonable." Cute, huh? While the rules state that Yik Yak is not for bullying or being offensive, a quick download reveals that most of the messages are inappropriate jokes, pleas for sex or musings about weed—or maybe that's just the vibe in Central L.A.
But near Mira Costa High School, someone has been using the app to make ambiguous threats. On Monday, a student found a message that read, "If you go to Costa, you should watch out very closely at school today," L.A. Times reports. The student alerted a teacher, who notified authorities. Police searched the campus, but found nothing.
Later that day, a second message appeared, Manhattan Beach Officer Stephanie Martin said. This one read: "Nice try Costa, today was just a drill." That night at about 8 p.m., a third message read: "tomorrow at 2 be ready Costa, you're going on lockdown."
School officials plan to open back up on Thursday with additional security, and they are still searching for the person behind the messages. They've also contacted Yik Yak and requested that the app provide them with software that would make students unable to use Yik Yak within a boundary around the campus. Yik Yak is currently blocked on the school's wifi.
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Manhattan Beach isn't the only school district that's had trouble with anonymous threats made via Yik Yak. There have been bullying issues in Illinois, as well as a bomb threat in San Clemente.
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