Widespread illness closes Van Dyke Public Schools Friday

WARREN, Mich. (FOX 2) - An outbreak of illness has caused Van Dyke Public Schools to be closed Friday. But tonight events were held as usual, which raised its own set of questions.

FOX 2 "Are you thinking twice about going into this event with school closed tomorrow?"

"Yeah I am, but my baby’s in here I've got to go," said parent Antoinette McHenry

It’s the big question facing every parent headed into the Van Dyke Community Auditorium for a band concert Thursday - on the same day school district officials decided to close up shop Friday for a deep cleaning .

A large number of students and staff are out sick Thursday and this evening at school events some came with masks just to be safe.

"Me personally, I think it was kind of crazy. I felt they should have shut all this down today," said one father.

"I don’t know how safe it is to have all of us here in the auditorium packed together," said one mother. "But we are here for our kids, and we’ll do anything for them. But it is getting pretty bad. Hopefully it won’t be too many school closings."

Van Dyke Public Schools posted the notice online saying in part:

"Our schools will be closed tomorrow, Friday, December 9th. It seems as if there are too many illnesses going around to safely and healthily run our buildings. It's definitely December in Michigan. Please get some rest this weekend and stay safe."

"If it’s closed tomorrow what’s the use being here so late?" asked a father. "They might as well kept it open tomorrow."

Thursday evening a school source told FOX 2 a whopping 75 percent of the administrative staff were out sick with Covid and about 20 percent of the student population stayed home sick.

There’s about eight schools in the district.  Health officials are warning the public to stay vigilant with COVID-19, the flu and RSV on a collision course this holiday season, and hospitals bracing for possible high intake.

"For them to clean, I thought it was a good idea," said a student's father. "Maybe take better precautions, seriously."