Photoshopped Caption Cancels Classes; School Still In Session

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- A school district is forced to reassure parents and students that classes were still in session on Tuesday after a Photoshopped caption announced classes had been cancelled.

The fake caption popped up on social media sites earlier this week. It appeared to come from the Boulder Valley School District's official website. Instead, the school district's official website always confirmed school was in session.

BVSD officials said their website was never compromised or hacked. They found out about the fake caption from a parent who was double-checking.

"That parent shared it with the superintendent, he let me know and our office put out tweets and text messages to parents that there was only one place to go," said BVSD spokesman Briggs Gamblin.

That photo was shared with students and parents and many took it as official word that school was cancelled.

The Photoshopped caption reads, "Due to hazardous weather all BVSD schools and offices are closed tomorrow, Tuesday, April 16, 2013. This includes all after school and extra-curricular activities."

Students were excited at the thought of a snow day. The BVSD hadn't issued one the entire school year.

"I saw some people posting on Facebook. They took a picture of the website and they were excited, they're like, 'Yeah, snow day!'" said BVSD student Jorge Navarrete.

Jorge was one of several students in the school district who saw the caption on the front page of the BVSD's website.

Once he and other students realized the image was fake many attended class as scheduled. But not everyone got the message in time.

The school district does not know who is responsible for the fake message. They also said anyone who feels unsafe traveling to school during adverse weather days can call the school and they will be given an excused absence from class that day.