Normal activities will resume at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in southeast Oak Cliff after police responded Saturday afternoon for an “unknown item” found at the campus, a Dallas ISD spokesperson said.
Classes will go on as normal on Monday, the start of the school year, after an item was “called into question” and authorities swept the building, said Dallas ISD spokesperson Robyn Harris.
“We encourage not only our students but also our teachers and anyone who’s in our community, if there’s something that does not look right to them, or there’s a concern of some sort, we encourage them to say something,” Harris told The Dallas Morning News. “That is what occurred in this instance.”
About 12:10 p.m., at least eight Dallas police units responded to the school at5520 Langdon Road, near Interstate 20, according to a police call log. Authorities blocked off roads adjacent to the school.
The item being questioned was “not anything of concern” and will be classified as fake, Harris said. The person who found the item alerted Dallas ISD police, who brought in Dallas police, and the building was cleared about 3 p.m., Harris said.
“Anytime that there’s an object or item that is unknown … it’s that slow, methodical process to ensure that everything will be safe, remain safe,” she said.
The first day of classes is scheduled for Monday. While students and families were not in the building Saturday, some teachers may have been present for last-minute preparations, Harris said.
The principal stayed outside during the sweep and teachers will be welcome to make their preparations ahead of the first day, she said.
A Dallas police spokesperson referred inquiries to DISD. No additional information was immediately available.