Yes, it is cold today. The forecast makes a hopeful 11F high for the day. But is it colder today than many other January/February days? I didn't think so. So, why did the area schools close today? I haven't the faintest.
Champaign Public Schools used to have the reputation of NEVER closing...unless we have severe feets of snow. I've been involved with the Champaign schools the past 8 years or so and I can't remember many weather-related school closings (what we used to call 'snow days'...because they would only close when there was way too much snow). I used to think it was odd that the surrounding rural schools close often on the mere thought of bad weather. This year Champaign has closed when it was too hot and, now, when it is too cold. With two equally hot days, one will be open and one closed. Schools will be open tomorrow.
Actually, I understand closing in the fall since so many schools lack a/c but they all have heat. The kids walked to the bus stop last winter. Overall, I am just irritated that the schools have just decided to close school without any consistency. I have written them to urge them to establish weather-related guidelines (e.g. temperature, heat index, wind chill) but have gotten no response. Parents can't predict when the schools will be closed. I wonder how many kids were left waiting for the buses that never came this morning...and their parents had already left for work.
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I am glad you wrote about this, because I was wondering the exact same thing (but I don't have a child in the district). They will have school when it is clearly dangerous to be out on the roads! I was also surprised that there wasn't a story about it in the N-G today.
Thank you! So bizarre that C-U schools were closed and not Unit 7 or St. Joe (who usually close when there is cold weather). Was this due to the extreme wind chill and kids would be walking to school or waiting for a bus?
I also remember when Unit 4 NEVER closed (I went to Unit 7 and we only got snow days when buses couldn't reach the kids in the country).
Weather guidelines would make sense and it seems Unit 4 consistently does the opposite.
NG ran an article today about it.
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2008/01/25/safety_first
What is interesting is that we had the same superintendents keep schools running last winter...I'm sure we had a day as cold as yesterday.
My theory on the closing? Idiot parents who would send their child walking to school is dangerously low temps and then when something happens to their child, trying to say that it is the district's fault for not closing. What a PITA!
I think Champaign schools stayed open when smaller schools closed because Champaign roads were better maintained and had less of a rural population. Nearly 3/4 of my school lived in the country, on nearly impassable roads in the winter time. School got cancelled for us a lot, simply because the buses couldn't get around to get the kids.
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