Have we really gotten that wimpy?

@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
January 31, 2008 6:34pm CST
Yesterday the schools were closed. Why? Becuase it was -40 with wind chill. No icy roads, no fog, no snow. It's not like the schools aren't heated. It's not like school busses aren't heated. Yes, some kids walk to school, and that 20 minutes in that extreme cold would be dangerous. Wouldn't it be easier easier for parents to drive their kids to school than find someone to watch them all day? The kicker is, it's not like all the kids stayed in their houses all day. I saw kids playiing all over the place. lol
5 people like this
15 responses
@katisaurus (1038)
• Canada
1 Feb 08
Our schools don't close like that. We only close if the roads are bad. But yesterday we had a VERY bad windstorm. Winds were getting to 126 Km/h and the busses weren't able to run. They may be strong but with so many trees being knocked over it was such a hazard. The public schools were still open but I know exams were post-poned for the highschools because of how bad the wind was.
4 people like this
• Canada
1 Feb 08
Speaking of weather conditions! Our district just closed all the schools due to the weather. We got a huge snow storm last night and the plows are just starting to go down the streets now. There's about 20cm of snow on the ground at the moment and it's supposed to get worse by this afternoon. So they cancelled it. I guarantee you, you'll see about half those kids outside all day playing in the snow, too!
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
If they are smart, and like to have fun, of course they'll be playing in it. To me, the only reason to cancel school due to weather is if it's too dangerous for the busses.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
Yeah, out west I remember 75mph east winds. Not only did school continue, but I remember walking home in some of them. I also remember playing in those winds. It was wild fun!
3 people like this
@asgtswife04 (2475)
• United States
1 Feb 08
Unfortunately, schools close alot more than they should. I know where i live, if there is one flurry that comes down the school closes immediately. No icy roads, no snow on the ground, no nothing. it's just an excuse to close down for the day and i really think it's ridiculous at times. I mean, if there was gonna be a blizzard or something then yes let's close the schools down...but, just because it's cold outside or there is rain is not a reason to close schools. yet, they will jump all over you if your children miss a certain amount of days. what's the difference? none in my eyes. thanks for posting and God bless
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
That's the irony here. It will snow all night tonight. In the morning the streets will be snowy and icy... but school is on. lol
3 people like this
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
1 Feb 08
You also need to consider that it might be to costly to heat the entire school enough in that weather. Heating schools are expensive.
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
There were still people working in the buildings. They had to heat the school anyway.
1 person likes this
• Canada
3 Feb 08
It is pricey - but heating building in -40 degree weather is a fact of life if you live in colder winter climates. Even if school was canceled, the building would still be have to be heated - otherwise it could cause damage to the building (pipes bursting, etc.).
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
1 Feb 08
Well, I am visit my sister and in Buffalo the schools were closed, there was a little snow, not sure of the wind chill factor but the winds were gusting at over 60 miles an hour and the traffic lights were not working and falling down on the ground. So my guess is that the wind chill factor was only a part of the problem.
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
Yeah, that does sound dangerous. I'd probably cancel school then too.
1 person likes this
@megumiart (3771)
• United States
1 Feb 08
Wow! -40 is freezing!! But if there was no ice or snow, I would thunk schools should stay open. My sister had a snow day yesterday, because we had 5+ inches of snow && TONS of ice.
3 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
The ironic part is, isn't going to snow all night tonight, the roads will be icy in the morning... but school is on. lol
2 people like this
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
1 Feb 08
All I can think of is HOW DO YOU BREATHE in -40 degrees? I'm from Fl. I will admitt to wimpy. I was in Chicago one time with a 6 hour layover and I thought well I'll take the El and check out the city. I stepped outside and tried to inhale...could not and went back in. Everyone laughed at me. It was only...only -10. And I was a whole lot younger then than I am now!!!! If it was -40 you would not find me outside waiting for any dam* bus thats for sure.lol Shalom~Adoniah
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
The funny part about what you said was, when I was 16 we moved to Florida from Utah. When the humidity hit me, I wondered 'how do these people breath'. ;~D Actually, when you first walk outside, it does hurt your lungs, and your nose hairs immediatly freeze up. ;~D
3 people like this
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
2 Feb 08
I think if there are no dangerous reasons for the schools to be closed, then the schools should be opened. -40 temps is to cold for me, but I delt with it when I was up in Great Lakes, Illinois. All the parents have to do is bundle their kids really good. I keep my kids inside when it's cold and sit outside while bundled up and wait for the bus, as soon as I see it, I go in and get them. The high school students should already have their transportation planned out ahead of time. Here in Tennessee, the lowest has only been around 9 so I can't complain compared to your temps. To cancel school for no reason and then turn around and have it opened when they should is just stupid. One year, we got a freak snow storm. A foot of snow in about an hour, a 10 min drive to my daughter's school took almost 2 hours to get her. So when the next supposely snow storm was coming they closed the schools in fear of another freak one. It didn't come, so that came to an end. This year we haven't had one snow day. I like to see it snow, but as long as it starts on a Friday night and is gone by Sunday night, lol.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Feb 08
Yup, it should snow at our convenience! ;~D
2 people like this
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
1 Feb 08
I was homeschooled, I must say. But I do know that my brother who started school when he was 14 did not miss a day, unless there was snow or ice on the roads.m Mostly it was a 2 hour dismissal or a 2 hour delay. My kids miss a day every month due to something. They don't miss anything. I teach them, like my mother taught me.. That's me. Why can't johnhy read? because the school system is too lazy or burned out to show him how.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Feb 08
I know what you mean about all the days off in the year. My kids start school in Sept but summer vacation doesn't start intil the middle of June. 9 months to cover 180 class days.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Feb 08
The question should be , why aren't All the schools heated?it would be best if all the walkers could have a parent or guardian drive the kids when the weather is bad but unfortunately, there are parents who don't have cars or couldn't drive Johnny to school And get to work on time. But getting there is one thing, keeping warm in these schools is another.The school district did the right thing because all they needed was for One child to get frost bite and the parents would have sued the school.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Feb 08
The schools are heated. In fact, they are heated just as much whether the school is open or closed. I bet our last freedom will be taken away because of some lame fear of "getting sued". I think we should sue every administrator who uses that tired excuse!
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Feb 08
The lawyers would love that.
1 person likes this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
1 Feb 08
We've had a couple "snow days" that I haven't agreed with this year, but the day you're talking about is not one of them. Our kids here don't get picked up in front of their houses, my daughter walks two blocks to her bus stop. Although I have to admit I'm one of the few parents who doesn't mind drving her to the bus stop and waiting in the car until the bus arrives. I asked one of the teachers why school was cancelled that day and of course she mentioned how fast frostbite occurs in these temps, but also informed me that not all of the busses would start.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
Yeah, frostbite does occur and should be taken into consideration. But that's the reason (among a few others) for the busses stopping at every block. Since they have already addressed the "exposure at the bus stop" problem, why cancel school? lol
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
1 Feb 08
No, canceling school because of -40 degree temperatures does not make us wimpy, I think it means there's someone in charge there with some common sense and concern for the kids and the parents. There is "cold" weather when it gets below freezing then there's dangerously cold temperatures with wind chill in which hypothermia and/or frostbite can set in within seconds. You say later in this post the high school has no bussed students so I assume that means there are plenty of kids that walk to school. Everyone doesn't have a parent who can drive them to school. I'm sorry, I'm with the school on this one. I'm not wimpy but as I said, there's cold and then there's dangerously cold. Annie
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Feb 08
I've lived in Wisconsin going on 8 years now. This is only the 2nd time they have cancelled school because of extreme cold. Did they "not care" all the other times? This morning the roads are snowy and icy, yet school is still in session. If -40 was a rare thing, I might not be making fun of their decision. However, it gets below zero every year here... so why was that one day any different than the rest?
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
4 Feb 08
That's the thing, almost everything else was open. Kids still played, teens still hung out, adults still went to work. The only places that closed were the schools and some of the child based businesses around (who usually base their decision to close on the school's decision).
• Canada
3 Feb 08
I guess it depends on what you're used to. It was -50 here last week with the wind chill, and life went on as usual. Schools were open, businesses were open, people were walking around outside. You just need to bundle up. Yes it's cold, but you take precautions. When I was going to school and it was -40 out, we still walked to school!
1 person likes this
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
1 Feb 08
We have a two hour delay today because it's raining. LOL They did call for freezing rain, but I was just out and the roads aren't icy at all, it's just rain.
2 people like this
• Canada
3 Feb 08
I guess it depends where you live. Here, it's regularly -40 in the winter. And nothing is ever closed because of the low temperature. I'm surprised that schools would be closed over that. If things were like that here, the city would shut down for a month or two! You just need to take the proper precautions, and dress warmly. If it's really, really cold, schools will still be open, but the school buses don't run. Then parents can just drive their kids to school.
• Canada
3 Feb 08
...or kids could just bundle up and walk to school! That's what we did when we were young.
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Feb 08
its not just the cold being dangerous, there could be difficulties heating the schools
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Feb 08
Nope, not an excuse, the schools are heated whether they are open or not.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Feb 08
Holy toledo! -40 is freezing! I currently live in Arizona and actually, we are moving to Georgia, where we are going to settle down permanently, buy a house, the whole nine yards...so thankfully I will never have to face that kind of cold again! But, I grew up in Michigan and I have lived in Wisconsin and Illinois each for a couple of years at one time, and not so long ago. I remember freezing temperatures like that! That is one thing that I will NEVER miss! lol....Can't remember my school ever closing just for extremely cold weather when I was a kid...but then again, in the town I grew up in, the schools seldom ever closed anyway, not even when they probably should have. I can remember times when there was extremely heavy snow fall, tons of ice, etc. All the schools in every city and town, surrounding the town I lived in, would close, and mine stayed open! lol...I didn't really mind though, I secretly liked school. haha