UPDATE: South Jersey Superintendent Apologizes, Says No 'Ill Intended' For Students Who Stayed Home For Ebola Concerns

Having two students from Africa stay home from Maple Shade schools because of Ebola concerns was not “mean-spirited or ill intended,” Maple Shade Superintendent of Schools Beth Norcia wrote on Monday afternoon.

Norcia, however, did not say whether it was the parents or the district who made the final decision as holding the students out of school.

“No matter how well intentioned, a message that originated within our schools created conflict and concern within the Maple Shade community. We offer our sincere apologies,” Norcia said in the statement posted on the district’s website Monday night.

The students were scheduled to start classes at Howard Yocum School in Maple Shade this week, but their parents ultimately offered to keep them home beyond the three-week waiting period because of Ebola concerns, even though they are symptom-free, according to NBC10.

They were coming from Rwanda, which has been unaffected by Ebola. The same NBC10 report, however, indicted that the school nurse played a role in keeping the children out of school.

“If we step back as a community, it is clear that we are of one mind. We all care about our children,” Norcia wrote. “New parents were anxious to enroll their children in our public school system. A staff member was anxious to allay any possible fears even before they arose. Community members raised questions about potential health risks to all of our children.”

The students will enter the district next week, Norcia noted in her post.

“Our staff, students and entire school family will be enriched by their presence, as we are by each and every student with us today,” Norcia said.

She also realized the entire ordeal may have sent the wrong message from her school district.

“Our schools have become the unwitting “face” of our nation’s fears with regard to pressing health concerns,” she wrote, going on to say the district will consider the consequences of their messages more carefully in the future.