Comal ISD and New Braunfels ISD closed

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) - Comal ISD and New Braunfels ISD have both closed all school in their districts after a teacher from an alternative high school campus showed possible signs of the swine flu.

Memorial High School, an alternative education campus in Comal ISD was the first to close Tuesday when an adult education teacher with the GED program reported flu symptoms. The other schools followed suit late Tuesday night, making the decision to close dozens of area schools.

According to Comal Independent School District spokesperson Kari Hutchison, the teacher who works in the Memorial High School building is not employed by the district. The Texas Department of State Health Services is awaiting test results to find out if the state has a seventh case of swine flu on its hands. The teacher lives in Guadalupe County, the same county were three cases of swine flu have been found among high school students.

All 14 schools in Schertz-Cibolo Universal City ISD near San Antonio remain closed. Rio Grande City ISD near the Mexican border closed all of their schools due to a high number of absences. A Dallas area school is afraid of spreading the influenza, as well.

None of the Comal ISD students staying home show symptoms. Parents at other schools in the district do not seem to be worried.

"I don't see a real big threat if everybody just does what they're suppose to do as far as washing your hands," said Stephen Brown while picking up his sixth grade son from school. His third grade son sitting in the back seat leaned forward to listen.

There's a relatively small number of people in Texas bit by this new swine flu bug, including 18-year-old Hayden Henshaw.
His family said the sickness is not scaring them, despite the rising death toll south of the border.

"He just felt really achy, his skin hurt, typical flu like cold type symptoms," said Hayden's father, Patrick Henshaw.

The schools will be closed until May 11. TAKS testing has been put on hold as well. State education officials are working on a restesting schedule for the schools affected.