Flu shuts down Charleston schools

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- The flu has shut the Charleston R-1 school district down today, postponing homecoming.

A spokesperson for the school district at the superintendent's office confirmed Thursda that all of Charleston's schools, kindergarten through grade 12, would not be in session Thursday or Friday due to a high number of absences caused by influenza.

"Attendance was getting close to 70 percent -- around 73 percent or so," she said.

The spokesperson said this is not the H1N1 strain but just an ordinary flu.

Charleston Senior High School's football homecoming game against Dexter High School scheduled for Friday has been canceled.

Homecoming for Charleston Senior High will be postponed until the home game against Malden Senior High School on Oct. 23.