School closures

434 schools in 18 states had shuttered

Md. Schools Hit by Flu Staying Shut For a While
New Cases Identified In D.C., Charles County
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/01/AR2009050100981_pf.html
By Daniel de Vise and David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, May 2, 2009

Officials in Montgomery, Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties yesterday announced extended closures of three schools to isolate children exposed to likely cases of swine flu, urging students in those schools to avoid public places and warning of more potential shutdowns in the days ahead.

Nationwide, at least 434 schools in 18 states had shuttered yesterday to prevent the spread of the flu, leaving more than 245,000 students home, according to the U.S. Education Department. The closure total was up more than 40 percent from Thursday. Federal officials said they expect a further increase and encouraged teachers to prepare materials to send home with students.

Locally, new cases were identified at George Washington University in the District and in Charles County, bringing to 17 the tally of probable or confirmed cases of swine flu across Maryland, the District and Virginia. Maryland authorities reported 67 additional possible cases awaiting further testing.

Public school officials are accustomed to shutting down for the occasional snowstorm. Now they face an extended closure dictated by health officials, who want schools emptied until the illness has run its course. More school closures seem highly likely. Questions loom about how much illness might trigger the shutdown of an entire school system, a measure taken in Fort Worth. What might prompt such a determination here is "too hard to say at this point, because we haven't had this situation before," said Mary Anderson, a Montgomery health spokeswoman.

The school hiatus threatens to disrupt the highly regimented schedule of public instruction. Rockville High students will sit for a scheduled SAT today in an isolated room at a nearby middle school rather than on their own campus. But what of the athletic contests and Advanced Placement tests scheduled for next week? Students in the Anne Arundel and Prince George's schools were soon to take a state science assessment. Students at all three schools might have to make up lost class time during the summer.

"I want to get back in school so I can get the year over and graduate," said Robert Kirker, a senior at Rockville High.

A more pressing concern is whether students at the afflicted schools will heed the near-quarantine urged by health officials, who are worried that contagion could spread to shopping malls and movies. "Please do not go to the mall and congregate. Please stay home," said Ulder Tillman, Montgomery's health officer, addressing Rockville students at a news conference.