14,000 Iowans want the governor to pardon school snow days. She can't, but here's who can.

[TBoneTX 45,570]

What do we think:  Make up snow days, or forgive them?

Buddy of mine observes, "If you're dumb enough to voluntarily live where it snows, suffer.  You can always sue the Global Warming whackos for false advertising."

Quote

14,000 Iowans want the governor to pardon school snow days. She can't, but here's who can.

Aaron Calvin, Des Moines Register
Published 4:56 p.m. CT Feb. 21, 2019 | Updated 10:46 p.m. CT Feb. 21, 2019

 

Thousands of Iowans are calling for Gov. Kim Reynolds to excuse school days missed during last month's polar vortex.

 

An online petition asking Reynolds to pardon students from making up cancellations of three bone-chilling days in late January had nearly 14,000 signatures Thursday afternoon.

 

"Under Iowa law, the governor doesn’t have the legal authority to forgive snow days," Pat Garrett, Reynolds' communications director, said in an emailed statement.

 

While the governor doesn't have that power, Iowa state legislators do. That's what's happening in Michigan, where lawmakers are considering a bill to forgive snow days.

Story continues:
https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2019/02/21/iowa-weather-snow-days-school-closings-delays-governor-reynolds-pardon-make-up-polar-vortex-iawx/2938070002/

 

Edited February 22, 2019 by TBoneTX

[Unidentified 2,930]

Why does this country need snow days? Why not just require people to learn how to drive in snow and deal with it? I hate snow days. I am forced to be home without pay. Not getting much money this month... 

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

just make up the time .. what are we talking a couple of days? Much ado about nothing methinks

[Dashinka 24,628]

I am fine with snow days as quite honestly some of the roads can be very treacherous for buses or people driving (remember ~30% of the roads in the US are unpaved), but they should be made up.

20 minutes ago, Randyandyuni said:

just make up the time .. what are we talking a couple of days? Much ado about nothing methinks

 

20 minutes ago, Randyandyuni said:

just make up the time .. what are we talking a couple of days? Much ado about nothing methinks

 

[yuna628 9,686]

25 minutes ago, Unidentified said:

Why does this country need snow days? Why not just require people to learn how to drive in snow and deal with it? I hate snow days. I am forced to be home without pay. Not getting much money this month... 

Rural area, no sidewalks, no proper real bus stops. Roads are never properly treated and very steep. I'm perfectly fine with snow days. We've had many many more than 3 so far this year. A few weeks ago we had about six inches and a coating of ice, was pretty treacherous out there. Pretty much all schools were closed, but not the college... so my husband had to go in. He doesn't have the kind of car to handle deep snow. Everyone was complaining that now the kids were off what were they supposed to do with them AND still come in to college and work? There's no daycare facility on site either. This week after all the flack, the college closed immediately for another snowstorm which was really no worse than the last and yet we had a firetruck and ambo roll off the road, a cop car went into a ditch, and cars went off the main highway ramp into a deep pond.

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

IF we get snow on the streets it is mass chaos in Dallas.

 

Schools closed down, people buying grocery stores out of food, wrecks everywhere

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

1 minute ago, Chris Duffy said:

IF we get snow on the streets it is mass chaos in Dallas.

 

Schools closed down, people buying grocery stores out of food, wrecks everywhere

I have been in Atlanta during a minor dusting, you described it to a T ... wondrous for a New England resident to observe 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

2 hours ago, Unidentified said:

Why does this country need snow days? Why not just require people to learn how to drive in snow and deal with it? I hate snow days. I am forced to be home without pay. Not getting much money this month... 

 

  School closings are for kids, not adults. It can be dangerous to have small kids outside. in this kind of weather. Many are walking or take the bus. There is not a lot of leeway if it's -1 outside and the bus doesn't show up.

 

   Usually when we get them, it's a combination of heavy AM snow (road's can't be cleared in time for school) and freezing temperatures (dangerous to be stuck outside). They also have a protocol for 2 hour delays instead of closures if it's mainly an issue with temperature. 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

2 hours ago, Randyandyuni said:

just make up the time .. what are we talking a couple of days? Much ado about nothing methinks

 

   It can be a tough call. There is a legal minimum limit on the number of school days, so if you have 5 days to make up and people have vacations scheduled or moves it can be difficult to reschedule. Here in Colorado, it especially affects military families who are getting transferred right at the end of the school year. They do build in several extra days to the calendar here so they won't fall below the minimum limit (hopefully) if they have to close a lot.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

1 hour ago, Steeleballz said:

 

  School closings are for kids, not adults. It can be dangerous to have small kids outside. in this kind of weather. Many are walking or take the bus. There is not a lot of leeway if it's -1 outside and the bus doesn't show up.

 

   Usually when we get them, it's a combination of heavy AM snow (road's can't be cleared in time for school) and freezing temperatures (dangerous to be stuck outside). They also have a protocol for 2 hour delays instead of closures if it's mainly an issue with temperature. 

And yet, kids in Alaska go to school every day with snow on the ground, and walk to school or wait on buses  in temps as low as -35° to -50°.  

[Boiler 45,715]

Not certain but I think they assume a certain number of snow days where I am, seem to remember there were none last year which was very unusual.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

1 hour ago, ALFKAD said:

And yet, kids in Alaska go to school every day with snow on the ground, and walk to school or wait on buses  in temps as low as -35° to -50°.  

And school has never been cancelled with a few feet of snow or -50 temperatures? 

[Póg mo 1,749]

6 hours ago, Unidentified said:

Why does this country need snow days? Why not just require people to learn how to drive in snow and deal with it? I hate snow days. I am forced to be home without pay. Not getting much money this month... 

Great idea, what possibly could go wrong? Apart from death or losing limbs to frost bite, that is.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

2 minutes ago, spookyturtle said:

And school has never been cancelled with a few feet of snow or -50 temperatures? 

Once for an ice storm that rendered the roads extremely dangerous for two days.  Most businesses closed and the local military bases closed.  

 

But for low temps?  Not that I recall.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

3 minutes ago, ALFKAD said:

Once for an ice storm that rendered the roads extremely dangerous for two days.  Most businesses closed and the local military bases closed.  

 

But for low temps?  Not that I recall.

Wow. Around here they wouldn’t be able to get the streets, sidewalks and schools cleared that fast in a big storm. Then again, I think the people that live in Alaska are a very tough bunch. They deal with a harsh environment.