Schools in Baltimore will shut down for two days this week — and a ransomware attack, not the coronavirus, is to blame.
The Baltimore County Public Schools tweeted Saturday that there will be no classes Monday and Tuesday due to the computer breach.
“This provides much-needed time for our staff to continue working to set up the instructional platform and to communicate next steps regarding devices,” BCPS said of the two-day hiatus.
The school district’s remote learning program, its website, and its email and grading systems all fell under cyber attack last week, WBAL-TV reported.
The district’s information technology department first identified the attack on Tuesday and notified staff early Wednesday.
Elena Lomicky, a kindergarten teacher, knew something was wrong when her school’s principal told staff not to log into their computers.
“There was a little panic because I’m not tech-savvy at all,” the Villa Cresta Elementary School teacher told WBAL. “It was alarming.”
The BCPS is working with the Baltimore County Police Department in the criminal investigation.