Ice Keeps School Districts In Southeastern Oklahoma Closed Another Day

Slick roads forced more than 50 school districts in eastern Oklahoma to stay closed through Wednesday. For some schools it will be the fifth day classes have been canceled.

The calls to cancel school started to come in just before 5 o'clock Tuesday from districts like Muskogee, which say the streets are just too icy to walk or drive.

"We were so excited when we saw the sun, but it just didn't do enough," said Wendy Burton, of Muskogee Public Schools.

The school district hasn't had class since last Thursday. This winter storm made safe travel for its 6,500 students unlikely.

"We can't send our school buses into the neighborhoods to get kids, they would just slide off the road," Burton said.

Other Green Country school districts are canceling class for Wednesday, too. Some roads in southeastern Oklahoma are still like an ice skating rink.

It's very easy to go into a slide on the slick streets.

In McAlester, school administrators have actually taken the buses out on the routes and they say Wednesday they will be running, but be prepared if they're late

"We have a lot of kids that like to be here for breakfast to have a hot meal at lunch and we don't like it when we can't have our kids at school," said McAlester Superintendent Marsha Gore. "Our teachers are ready to get back into a routine, the kids are, and I think the parents are, also."

Upcoming Christmas plays in McAlester are being pushed back. That also includes a trip to Stillwater for the 5A football championship.

Muskogee administrators are prepared to cancel for a sixth day of school if the roads stay icy. Administrators promise they won't cut into the Christmas break if they need to make up for days lost.