Montgomery County’s snow decision surprises parents
Some parents questioned whether it was safe for their children to travel to school on wet roads with flakes tumbling down.
Keep reading at roanoke.com.
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If they close school, parents complain. If the don’t close school, parents complain. There are few times I have pity for MCPS; this is one.
Comment by Neutral — March 6, 2012 @ 4:09 am
i heard the top of brush mountain was bad that morning, plus i would think they would know the temperature drops when the sun is coming up. so an hour or two delay wouldn’t have hurt the schools.
Comment by joe — March 6, 2012 @ 6:21 am
The poor school officials can’t please everybody! If they call school off, they’re criticized; if they have school, they’re criticized. I believe they made the right decision to have school on Monday. They have erred on the side of caution in the past and this time they decided to go ahead with it. Everyone made it fine.
Comment by Melanie — March 6, 2012 @ 6:49 am
Congratulations for not cancelling school on Monday, March 5. You made the correct decision.
Comment by Congratulations for not closing schools on Monday March 5. You made the correct decision. — March 6, 2012 @ 8:33 am
Darned if they do, darned if they don’t.
I am assuming they looked at the forecast and saw that the snow would be mostly gone by the end of school. Give me a break. If you thought it was too dangerous, then you should have kept your kids out of school.
Comment by Lisa — March 6, 2012 @ 8:47 am
“All the buses arrived safely”…. I hope there was more context to that quote/conversation and that’s not our superintendent’s justification for a questionable call Monday morning. Thank God all the buses arrived safely. I drove my daughter and neighborhood friend through snow, sleet and covered roads to school on Monday morning… Clearly, the radar showed more precipitation moving through our county during the morning bus time – even an hour delay would have put the kids on safer roads. Not sure what really motivated this call, and I understand it’s a daunting task… but I certainly do appreciate erring on the side of caution where our kids’ safety is concerned, as usually appears to be the case.
Comment by Amy — March 6, 2012 @ 8:57 am
Which parents? I did not see a single flake on the roads, even back streets. It was not cold enough.
Comment by Peppers Ferry — March 6, 2012 @ 9:25 am
The buses did, indeed, arrive safely. A BHS teacher, however, was in a multi-car accident on 460 while driving to school (there’s footage of the aftermath, taken in one of the numerous whiteouts of the morning, on WSLS.com). No injuries were mentioned in that report, so her students are hoping the only damage was to her car. A BHS student slid off the road while driving to school, damaging his car but escaping injury. The weather and poor road conditions were unquestionably spotty, but given that multiple snow days were built into the school year and have not been used, there was no good reason for either of those people to have been on the roads and in accidents.
Comment by Carol — March 6, 2012 @ 12:41 pm
My god you parents that are complaining need to get a life. I grew up in Craig county and many a time chains were installed on the buses and we wnet to school. With all the early releases and teacher work days along with every holiday they can make up how many days in a row do students go to school? Never longer than 3 weeks. Example they had 2 weeks off for Christmas and then 2 weeks later they take 3 more days off.If you don’t want your kids traveling to school when the roads have a little snow on them keep them home I want my kids in school learning. Lawyers are the ones that cause this every law suit happy parent threatens to take them to court over the smallest and simplest thing.
Comment by gary — March 8, 2012 @ 5:46 pm
I drive through Christiansburg, Blacksburg, and Pembroke each day for my work commute and I can tell you that there were many accidents on 460 that day and Brush Mt and beyond was covered with snow. It was not bad, per se, but I would rather they be safe than sorry.
Comment by Ana — March 16, 2012 @ 3:19 pm
“A BHS student slid off the road while driving to school, damaging his car but escaping injury.”
I’m glad the student was ok, but the purpose of closing school is not so student drivers don’t slide off the road.
Comment by Sparky — June 4, 2012 @ 8:52 am