Whatever Decision Schools Make Some Won’t Be Happy

Students of Sedalia 200 are facing another snow day today because of transportation problems. The short story is that many of the district's buses run on diesel fuel, which tends to gel in frigid weather. When that happens, buses either don't start or run reliably. Yet, some parents and residents are mad that Sedalia schools even thought of having kids go to school today.

Here's one thing I do know: The storm is over, and most of West Central Missouri is back at work today. Traffic levels seem back to normal today, and all of the major streets are plowed and dry. So, I don't think Sedalia schools announcing their intention yesterday to have kids back in class today was a bad idea.

Here's the thing, though. I think whatever decision Sedalia 200 Schools makes, or any school district makes, some parents won't be happy.

If the decision were made Tuesday night to close schools for the rest of the week, someone would scream that kids should have returned to school on Thursday. If the buses ran and kids went back to class, someone would whine about kids having to wait in frigid temperatures for the buses. If the district said last night, "We'd like kids to go back to school tomorrow, but we'll make a final decision at 6:00 AM tomorrow," it wouldn't be good enough for some parents. Heck, if the weatherman says we're going to get seven inches of snow, and schools close, and we get two inches, someone will be bitching about the schools being closed.

Yet, not that long ago, when longer-range weather forecasts weren't as reliable, a 6:00 AM school cancellation on the day of wasn't considered "last-minute." Neither was having to find out from the radio the school was canceled. Of course, those were back in the days when, instead of worrying that your kid was shivering at the bus stop, parents made sure their kids were appropriately dressed for the weather.

I get it; the day of cancellations can be a pain. They can inconvenience parents. Yet, you are parents. How can you have a kid and not expect to be inconvenienced now and then? You also live in Missouri, where it gets cold and snows. Don't want that inconvenience, move. There are plenty of places you can go where you don't have to worry about snow days or frigid weather.

Maybe instead of bitching about whatever decision your school district makes regarding school days, AMI days, bus service, whatever. How about being thankful you live in a technological age where weather forecasting is better than when we were kids? How about being thankful school administrators don't want your kids freezing at a bus stop? How about being grateful that school administrators can often close schools earlier than the day when hazardous weather is expected?

Today, be thankful for Dr. Fraley's long message explaining why schools were closed. He honestly doesn't owe anyone any more explanation than this: Buses won't start, schools are closed.