WASHINGTON - After days of school closures around the region, some parents, students and educators are starting to get fed up with swine flu precautions.

This morning six Maryland schools are closed, and for the first time a D.C. school has joined the list. Our Lady of Victory, a private Catholic school, will be closed for the rest of the week after an employee was preliminarily diagnosed with the virus.

D.C. health officials say the staffer was last at school with symptoms of the flu on Friday.

The archdiocese of Washington reported that parents and students were alerted via text message that the school would be closed.

But for some, the learning will go on outside the schoolhouse. Susan Gibbs, from the archdiocese of Washington, said, "Teachers last week were asked to start thinking about lesson plans or things they could send home should there be some kind of closure and they will be able to have some online learning this week."

While federal and local health officials back the closings, some parents question whether closing schools is really necessary. "I think it's ridiculous. I think the county is overreacting," one parent argued.

As D.C. resident Brian Merritt noted, "It will definitely be a burden for the parents."

All of this comes as health officials are suggesting that the outbreak might be less severe than once though, more on par with the common flu.

Nevertheless, the scope of the outbreak has the World Health Organization considering raising the alert. "A rise in the pandemic alert level from the WHO does not mean the virus has become any more severe," explained Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. '"Rather, it means that it has spread to a number of countries around the globe. In other words, the level is about geography, not severity."

But as that severity is further downplayed, some educators are anxious to get students back to class. At Our Lady of Victory, officials say church will continue and mass will still take place as scheduled. As far as the school, officials say they have yet to determine whether these missed days will have to be made up.

The list of schools in the area that have cancelled classes due to swine flu now includes Montpelier Elementary in Laurel, University Park Elementary in Hyattsville, Folger McKinsey Elementary in Severna Park, Milford Mill Academy in Baltimore County, Rockville High School, and Vansville Elementary School in Beltsville as well as Our Lady of Victory in northwest Washington.

 Email To Friend