Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Texas Schools Cancel Sports as Flu Spreads

Some schools shut entirely

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted Apr 29, 2009 2:21 PM CDT

(Newser) – All Texas high schools are canceling sports and academic competitions until May 11 to prevent swine flu from spreading, and five school districts have canceled classes altogether, the Houston Chronicle reports. "Altering the schedule of our events is a way to keep our participants safe," said a state official. Sixteen Texans have the flu, and two people in critical condition may also be infected.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (1)]

Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced that he has issued a disaster declaration after 16 cases of swine flu were confirmed in the state. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

Microbiologist Gilbert Ortiz, left, handles samples while testing for swine flu at the Houston Department of Health and Human Services today. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Hayden Henshaw, 18, who is recovering from swine flu, sits at his home in Cibolo, Texas, yesterday. Henshaw is sniffling but quickly recovering. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A sign shows a Texas high school closed for the week after two confirmed cases of swine flu were found in the area. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

A Texas student was infected with swine flu at her school. (CNN Video)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Child in Texas Is 1st US Swine Flu Death

Fatality is first outside Mexico since outbreak began

(NEWSER) - A 23-month-old child in Texas has become the first person in the US to die of swine flu, a government official said today. The death of the boy, who traveled from Mexico to seek medical treatment, is the first to take place outside Mexico, where the outbreak began, Reuters reports. The US has confirmed 65 cases of swine flu, but almost all have been mild. More»

Cheerleader: Gay Kiss Got Me Booted Off Squad

Security camera footage resulted in suspension from school

(NEWSER) - Security footage of a Texas teen kissing another boy got him suspended from school and thrown off the cheerleading squad, he tells KPLC-TV . The teen believes school officials deliberately sought to catch him in the act. "They never check cameras for anything unless something is stolen," he says. "I'm sure we were the only ones, sexual orientation wise, being caught like that." More»

Did Texas Baseball Players Kill Chickens to Win Game?

An alleged tale of superstitions gone wrong

(NEWSER) - The Western Hills High baseball team wasn’t doing so well—so, allegedly, two of its players sacrificed chickens on the field in an effort to improve the team’s performance. The bizarre ritual was referenced in Major League, although in that movie, the struggling player sacrificed a bucket of fried chicken. In real life, the two Texas teens may have sacrificed live chickens, possibly baby chicks, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports, as noted by Pat's Papers . More»

Texas OKs More Conservative HS Curriculum

Social studies, history guidelines influence teaching of millions

(AP) - The Texas State Board of Education adopted new social studies and history guidelines today after an ideological debate over academic standards that drew intense scrutiny. The board gave the curriculum a more conservative bent by dictating how political events and figures will be taught to some 4.8 million primary and high school students in Texas and beyond for the next decade. More»

Texas Town's Schools Bring Back the Paddle

'A good crack might not be a bad idea,' says resident

(NEWSER) - A small town in Texas is reviving an old disciplinary technique: hitting students with paddles. Temple lifted its ban on the practice last May. Without paddling, "there were no consequences for kids," says the head of the school board, who adds that high school students have become much better behaved—though only one student has been paddled so far. Some locals applaud the move: "There are times when maybe a good crack might not be a bad idea," one man tells the Washington Post . More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Texas Schools Cancel Sports as Flu Spreads