ST. LOUIS — You would be forgiven if you forgot Wednesday was April Fools' Day, but the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said someone remembered.
In a Facebook post, DESE said someone stole their logo to spread a fake letter claiming students in Missouri would not be able to advance a grade due to the school year changes caused by COVID-19.
"We could not be more disappointed that someone chose to use their free time to create this document, illegally using our department logo, and make a joke about something as serious as our students' education," a Facebook post from the department said Wednesday night.
Every school district across the state was closed to students by March 19. Most local school districts closed shortly after leaders suggested the schools do so on March 16.
"This is particularly insensitive given the anxiety and uncertainty so many students and families are dealing with right now," the Facebook post said.
As of April 1, Missouri has more than 1,600 confirmed cases of COVID-19. You can see the county-by-county breakdown of cases on 5 On Your Side's interactive map below.