TOMS RIVER, NJ — As the debate over gun control continues to burn hot a week after a mass shooting at a Florida high school, conspiracy theories about the events and the survivors have begun to take of like wildfire across the internet.

Among them: claims that David Hogg, one of the students at the Parkland high school who have been urging tighter restrictions on gun ownership, was a crisis actor and not a real student. Toms River Regional Board of Education member Dan Leonard calls those claims nonsense.

"People are nuts," Leonard said Wednesday morning, when asked about postings he made on Facebook sharing links to stories that claimed Hogg is, among other things, a crisis actor hired to stir up anti-gun sentiments. Stories sprouted on sites known for sharing conspiracy theories, including Alex Jones's InfoWars site, which pushed conspiracy theories claiming the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in 2012 was faked. The postings, shared with Patch by a resident who saw them, included links to a video and to a story from Gateway Pundit, a site that posts stories ardently supporting President Donald Trump, questioning Hogg's identity. Leonard also included a link to a CNN report debunking the crisis actor claiims.

Leonard, an independent who represents Beachwood on the school board, said he shared the links because that's what he does. "I share all kinds of crazy stuff," Leonard said. "Just because I share a link doesn't mean I endorse it."

Jones, he said, "is a nutjob."

"The problem is you can post any BS fake news and (too many people) believe it," Leonard said, citing a Facebook post that made the rounds last summer claiming a great white shark had attacked someone at Island Beach State Park.

Hogg was the Parkland student mentioned Monday by Toms River North junior Zach Dougherty, who organized the student rally at the Ocean County Library to protest gun violence and demand reform. Dougherty said he spoke with Hogg and asked what he could to do help support the Parkland students, and Hogg's reply was to organize and speak out. Leonard, who has been on leave from the school board, said he is returning for Wednesday night's board meeting because of the budget discussions and because of the school security discussions in the district. "I can't not be there," he said.