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Crossville mother gathers more than 1,400 names to cancel school for flu

Becca Owens has gathered more than 1,400 names to try to get Cumberland County Schools to cancel tomorrow because of a terrible flu bug.

A Cumberland County mom is working hard to cancel school because of the flu.

She started a petition, which has more than 1,400 signatures as of Friday.

"I could not deal with burying one of my kids, knowing I could've prevented it," mother Becca Owens said.

Owens has watched the signatures roll in over the past few days. They came from all over town on her Avaaz community petition.

"We live in a small town, our kids know each other, and it's all over town," she said.

Becca Owens never thought her petition would become as popular as it did. She's hoping it will sway Cumberland County Schools to cancel because of a flu outbreak.

The names are all in favor of closing school because of a flu bug that's hit most of East Tennessee.

"It doesn't matter how much money they're losing, and I understand some parents are not stay at home parents so it causes complications, but none of those complications are worth losing just one child," Owens said.

Her children have stayed home all week, even though they're healthy.

"They're going stir crazy, but we stay home, we don't go anywhere, I don't go anywhere, I've just been cleaning and disinfecting," Owens said.

She sent the petition to all the school board members and Director of Schools Janet Graham, hoping for a change.

Cumberland County Schools told 10News over the phone they had 90 percent attendance throughout the system Thursday, which is why they decided not to close school.

To put that into perspective, Knox County decided to cancel school after only 89 percent of students were in class.

"Everyone around us is closed, why aren't we closing the schools?" mother Michelle Iles said.

Iles signed the petition and has shared it multiple times on Facebook.

"As a parent, personally, I feel like if they were going to add a day or two to the end of the school year, I'd be totally fine with that if it's going to help the health of my kids," Iles said.

Health is now top priority for Owens, Iles and nearly 1,200 others, who hope change is coming.

Both mothers talked about the strict absence policy that only allows for five "Mother's note" excuses from school.

Any more, they say, and parents receive a notice to attend truancy court.

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