High School’s Tardy Dialing Machine Gets Word Out to Sleeping Parents
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The principal of a high school here says he’s still not quite sure how a telephone dialing machine started calling parents in the middle of the night with a recorded message about a school meeting.
“At least they know we want them to be there,” said Bill Dunn, who had no idea how many parents were awakened after the computer started dialing five hours later than planned.
“It’s an embarrassing thing,” Dunn said. “You just plead no contest and say, ‘I’m sorry it happened.’ ”
A secretary at Central High School may have miscoded the equipment, which was supposed to call people between 3 and 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dunn said. Instead, it started dialing about 8:15 p.m. and continued until at least 2:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Dunn said most parents who were called by the school were understanding.
“If it’s any consolation,” he said, “I got a call in the night, too.”
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