School phones 'locked' by bill collector

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BRUNSWICK, Ohio, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- An Ohio school district said its phone lines are being "locked up" by an overseas bill collection company.

Brunswick Schools Superintendent Mike Mayell put out an automated message Friday to parents saying the company's constant calls were preventing other callers from getting through to the district's central office phone lines and voicemail system, The Medina (Ohio) Gazette reported Monday.

"I'm calling to let you know our central office phone lines and our voicemail system is being locked up by a foreign company," Mayell said in the automated message. "We informed them that we are a school district and their response was, 'We don't care.'"

Brunswick police said a district employee arranged with the collections agency to pay off the bill in installments, but it did not stop the calls.

Officials did not reveal the nature of the bill behind the calls.