Because of a comment the student made last week, however, rumors spread that others might be in danger Tuesday, district spokesman Bill Weathers said. Four hundred students stayed away, about 30 percent of Holmes' population.

"We have perhaps the most egregious example of rumors spinning out of control that I can recall," Weathers said.

He gave this account:

Last week, a small group of students were discussing which side would win if half were armed with knives and the other half with guns. It was a teasing, boastful conversation among teenagers, Weathers said.

A female student appeared and smarted off to one of the boys, who retorted that she "better not come to school on Tuesday."

"He also apologized as she walked away, and we don't think she heard that," Weathers said.

The girl shared the remark with a friend, who talked to another friend and so on. Police and Holmes officials investigated and found students were not in danger. Principal Ray Finke made that announcement on the loudspeaker Monday, but nearly one-third of students still stayed home Tuesday.

Their absences will not be excused, Weathers said. Students who rack up nine unexcused absences in a year are referred to truancy court, he said.

The student whose remark led to the rumors has decent grades and an excellent attendance record, Weathers said. He was disciplined because the comment was unfortunate and "highly inappropriate," he said.

Sean Feeney, a senior at Holmes, said he didn't know about the rumor until the principal's announcement Monday. It was apparently spread by younger students, Sean said. His senior classes were all full Tuesday. Sean's mother, Andrea Feeney, said she was confident Holmes had the situation under control. "I figured they'd probably take plenty of precautions," she said.

E-mail kgutierrez@enquirer.com