During February and March, Memphians were on the edge of their couches waiting to view winter weather forecasts. While road conditions concerned us all, parents, students and teachers were most interested the winter school closings.
Students, parents and teachers often get frustrated when SCS doesn’t close schools due to hazardous winter weather. It’s dangerous for anyone to be on the roads during such conditions, especially our less experienced student drivers. But before we get angry, we should stop and think: why and how does the board make these decisions?
There are days when it’s obvious that schools should be closed, typically when at least two inches of snow stick to the ground or too many streets are iced over. However, when the conditions aren’t as overt as these, SCS leaders will often drive around to different school areas to assess the weather themselves.
They not only consider road conditions for drivers and bus routes, but also sidewalk conditions for students who walk to school or wait at bus stops. Only when ice or snow covers most of these roads and sidewalks is keeping schools open out of the question.
Temperature isn’t a primary factor in the board’s decisions because there is no minimum temperature that requires it to close schools.
SCS usually tries to decide on closings the night before winter weather hits, though they’ve failed to do so multiple times this year. If there’s no decision the night before, then the board decides by 5 AM. Its decisions are communicated through emails to parents along with updates through social media, news broadcasters and the SCS website.
Recently, the board has seemed hesitant about closing schools, and there are reasons.
Daily attendance rates affect how much tax money is allocated to fund our school system, so closings aren’t ideal for finances. SCS also cares about the education and curriculum of students, which snow days negatively impact. Teachers must readjust their syllabi, catch up on material for upcoming tests and cram in all of their grades before the grading period ends. Students are also robbed of opportunities for more grades and must make up assignments.
As desirable as snow days may seem, their consequences and disadvantages always have to be considered. If the school board can weigh and assess these effects for the sake of school closings, the rest of us can as well.