Bourbonnais, IL – A public school district in Illinois was forced to cancel classes Thursday after thieves targeted its entire fleet of buses, leaving thousands of students without a way to get to school.
Officials with Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53 say every catalytic converter was stolen from their buses overnight, disabling the entire transportation system and prompting the district-wide closure. The act is being described as a deliberate criminal attack that caused widespread disruption.
In a statement to families, Superintendent Dr. Adam Ehrman said the district is “treating this situation with the utmost seriousness,” and working urgently to restore services. The district is currently attempting to borrow buses from neighboring communities, coordinate repairs with service companies, and expedite the delivery of replacement parts.
While school leaders are hopeful the disruption will be limited to just one day, no confirmation has been made about whether classes will resume Friday. The situation remains fluid, and families have been asked to await further updates.
The sudden closure has affected thousands of students and their families across Bourbonnais, a community about 60 miles south of Chicago, placing additional strain on working parents and guardians scrambling to make alternate arrangements.
District officials emphasized their commitment to resuming normal operations as quickly and safely as possible.
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