Closing every public school in Tyler County for three days was not a step educators and health officials took lightly. We know some of those involved and are confident that they were well aware of the ramifications on the educational process and on local families.

Given the circumstances, the decision to close two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school until Thursday appears to have been the prudent course of action.

It was taken in reaction to a serious outbreak of disease, influenza. So widespread has the disease become in Tyler County that on Friday, about 40 percent of the students at one elementary school were absent. A similar percentage of absenteeism was reported at the middle school. In addition, sickness among staff members and difficulty in finding substitute teachers were factors in the closure decision.

Tyler County education officials closed all four schools for Monday and Tuesday, with Wednesday taken off for the Veterans Day holiday. The action was taken at the direction of the Wetzel-Tyler Health Department.

Keeping schools open would have been difficult from a practical standpoint - again, because of sickness among staff members and potential substitute teachers. But holding classes also would have exposed even more students and staff members to the flu. In the long run, the number of lost instructional days may have been minimized by the closure.

Certainly, the action will make it difficult for students and teachers to catch up on classroom work. For many families with working parents, closed schools present challenges.

Again, however, we believe public school officials and the health department did the right thing in Tyler County.