Lenoir City Schools will be closed for the rest of the week after a number of teachers and students were unable to attend class due to illness. Union County Schools is also closed Friday and will be closed the following Monday, too.
The Lenoir City school system said it saw a large number of students and teachers out of class, and it is running short on substitutes to continue classes. It also said many school nurses have been out sick as well, so it decided to cancel classes through Friday, Jan. 24.
"The pattern of increased cases indicated that we needed to take some time off to allow our students and staff to get well. We have been disinfecting the schools regularly but we will spend these two days additionally cleaning all schools and buses," Superintendent Jeanne Barker said.
Barker said all outside school business will still continue on schedule, including the monthly board meeting on Thursday.
Union County Schools said that around 15 percent of students have been out sick. They also said that students are not only staying home for the flu and that illnesses vary from school to school.