Ohio’s schools will reopen Friday after months of closures

OHIO (AP) Ohio’s first public schools were closed Wednesday for the second consecutive day after students were forced to evacuate to the basement of a school building after the building’s sprinkler system malfunctioned.

The state’s Department of Education says it will reopen the schools after at least four hours.

The Department of Community and Economic Development says the schools will be open by 8 p.m.

Thursday.

The closings come amid heightened concerns over school safety.

Last week, a 17-year-old Ohio girl was arrested and charged with murder after she allegedly shot a teacher and then herself in the head at an Ohio high school.

She was arrested after the shooting.

The Ohio Department of Justice says that the boy charged in the shooting has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, but that it will be up to a juvenile court judge to determine if he is criminally responsible.

The Department of Public Safety says it has responded to nearly 1,600 calls for service related to the fire.