What do we think will happen on Monday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they don't open on Monday. We live near Marshall HS, the roads are barely plowed, there is no place to park, let alone walk. I don't know how those school buses will maneuver. Just driving towards route 7 is an adventure of its own. Seriously, FCPS, stay closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

There is no point closing on Monday or Tuesday, because the mountains of snow aren't going anywhere. Everyone is just going to have to deal with the situation at hand. This stuff is going to be here until mid-February.

[Anonymous]

Our school, Westfield, is clear. They are using dump trucks to haul the snow away. We have a huge lot. There were a lot of buses in and out of the bus depot across the street, I don't know if they are checking routes or what.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

Also, that isn’t personal responsibility. That is taking responsibility for your neighbors and doing things for them. Why are you advocating for us to mollycoddle our neighbors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

I don't know, but I know that at least some areas ARE doing it. Fairfax City went back over all the rows and plowed every lane clear, and it wasn't that way even yesterday. My entire commute I could actually access turn lanes and such today.

Our private K-12 had a 2 hour delay and was open today. They follow FCPS (which is why I clicked over), but I can't imagine they will be closed Monday even if FCPS is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they don't open on Monday. We live near Marshall HS, the roads are barely plowed, there is no place to park, let alone walk. I don't know how those school buses will maneuver. Just driving towards route 7 is an adventure of its own. Seriously, FCPS, stay closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

There is no point closing on Monday or Tuesday, because the mountains of snow aren't going anywhere. Everyone is just going to have to deal with the situation at hand. This stuff is going to be here until mid-February.

I agree with this. If you look at February's temperature projections, the ice/snow isn't melting next week either. We just have to do the best we can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they don't open on Monday. We live near Marshall HS, the roads are barely plowed, there is no place to park, let alone walk. I don't know how those school buses will maneuver. Just driving towards route 7 is an adventure of its own. Seriously, FCPS, stay closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

+1

Marshall HS families just got a note from the Principal noting how bad the roads are near school and for everyone to take buses on Monday...I don't think that bodes well.

Good to hear. There are many reasons to get school open and as a parent you can call your kid in absent if it just is too messy where you are.

The problem is these people will say it's not fair if other kids go to school while theirs is absent. They want everyone else to stay home so their kid doesn't miss something.

Parents need to take responsibility for getting their kids to school. I find it hard to believe there are residential streets that are completely unplowed.

One of my friends in the southern part of Fairfax County Alexandria posted a video of their street yesterday. It's just icepack. I don't know if it's any better today.

Meanwhile people have been able to get in and out of my tiny cul-de-sac since Monday. Just one lane, but plowed throughout the storm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

If people had worked on it as it was happening it would have been easier. We shoveled, pushed aside sleet, and then used shovels to break up the ice build up on Sunday. It sucked but our sidewalk and driveway were clear by Sunday afternoon. People who chose to wait made a choice and now are arguing that the ice is too much.

If you don’t see that starting early and sucking up the fact that it sucked early caused that glacier on your sidewalk, that is on you. Now figure out how to deal with it. Hardware stores sell tools that work on this stuff, you might need to buy one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the people volunteering their time and efforts to help their neighbors should be celebrated and that doesn’t have to be gender specific. Teen girls can help with shoveling and volunteer just like the boys but the messaging has been for boys to help with shoveling. Yes, girls could jump on the bandwagon but they are not being asked, which is sexist. I don’t think it is intentional but it is sexist.

Framing the ask for “Any able body volunteers who are available” gives more room for both genders to participate instead of asking only for boys.

And yes, asking if there are girls who can help watch kids of working parents is also sexist.

I am not sure why people struggle with the idea of just asking for help and not asking for gender specific help. Maybe more boys will show up but leaving it nuetral makes it easier for girls to show up.

Teen girls aren't out shoveling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they don't open on Monday. We live near Marshall HS, the roads are barely plowed, there is no place to park, let alone walk. I don't know how those school buses will maneuver. Just driving towards route 7 is an adventure of its own. Seriously, FCPS, stay closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

There is no point closing on Monday or Tuesday, because the mountains of snow aren't going anywhere. Everyone is just going to have to deal with the situation at hand. This stuff is going to be here until mid-February.

It’s not very helpful to say “deal with it.” You are invalidating the scope of the difficulties some people are facing and will make them angry and recalcitrant by doing so. Recommend some techniques for ice removal, provide contact information for ice removal services. Go out into the community and help those who need help.

Many folks in the county were not prepared for this unprecedented combination of thick ice and a long stretch of very cold weather. In the past, we could rely on time passing and conditions improving. As a result, it feels like it’s “time” to go back school, but if officials make a decision based on a past reality and not the present one, based on what everyone wants (because I do think everyone wants to go back) and not on current conditions and risk assessments, we will regret it.

I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Maybe some schools can open safely, but I am hearing that others can’t, and I am not going to dismiss their problems because they are inconvenient for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the people volunteering their time and efforts to help their neighbors should be celebrated and that doesn’t have to be gender specific. Teen girls can help with shoveling and volunteer just like the boys but the messaging has been for boys to help with shoveling. Yes, girls could jump on the bandwagon but they are not being asked, which is sexist. I don’t think it is intentional but it is sexist.

Framing the ask for “Any able body volunteers who are available” gives more room for both genders to participate instead of asking only for boys.

And yes, asking if there are girls who can help watch kids of working parents is also sexist.

I am not sure why people struggle with the idea of just asking for help and not asking for gender specific help. Maybe more boys will show up but leaving it nuetral makes it easier for girls to show up.

Every request has been framed gender neutral, "Are there any teens or younger people available to help with shoveling?"

Not one tern girl is volunteering.

Not a dingle parent of teen girls (and we have plenty) have volunteered their daughters to help shovel out their neighbors.

Our young men need to be celebrated for their herculaneum effort at helping their neighbirs clear this mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

Also, that isn’t personal responsibility. That is taking responsibility for your neighbors and doing things for them. Why are you advocating for us to mollycoddle our neighbors?

Maybe your neighbors need help? Why wouldn’t you want to help them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

If people had worked on it as it was happening it would have been easier. We shoveled, pushed aside sleet, and then used shovels to break up the ice build up on Sunday. It sucked but our sidewalk and driveway were clear by Sunday afternoon. People who chose to wait made a choice and now are arguing that the ice is too much.

If you don’t see that starting early and sucking up the fact that it sucked early caused that glacier on your sidewalk, that is on you. Now figure out how to deal with it. Hardware stores sell tools that work on this stuff, you might need to buy one.

Exactly! We shoveled multiple times on Sunday. I shoveled our walkway Sunday evening and it’s been totally fine to walk on (albeit carefully) since then. We had so much advance notice that a storm was coming AND what kind of storm it would be. No excuse not to have obtained a shovel ahead of time or to have sat on your butt all day Sunday watching it pile up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hope they don't open on Monday. We live near Marshall HS, the roads are barely plowed, there is no place to park, let alone walk. I don't know how those school buses will maneuver. Just driving towards route 7 is an adventure of its own. Seriously, FCPS, stay closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.

There is no point closing on Monday or Tuesday, because the mountains of snow aren't going anywhere. Everyone is just going to have to deal with the situation at hand. This stuff is going to be here until mid-February.

It’s not very helpful to say “deal with it.” You are invalidating the scope of the difficulties some people are facing and will make them angry and recalcitrant by doing so. Recommend some techniques for ice removal, provide contact information for ice removal services. Go out into the community and help those who need help.

Many folks in the county were not prepared for this unprecedented combination of thick ice and a long stretch of very cold weather. In the past, we could rely on time passing and conditions improving. As a result, it feels like it’s “time” to go back school, but if officials make a decision based on a past reality and not the present one, based on what everyone wants (because I do think everyone wants to go back) and not on current conditions and risk assessments, we will regret it.

I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Maybe some schools can open safely, but I am hearing that others can’t, and I am not going to dismiss their problems because they are inconvenient for me.

No, PP is right. We have stopped expecting people to deal with anything, and instead pointing out every little individual circumstance that might make things harder and saying we have to rearrange or cancel everything for those people. Now we have a bunch of people with learned helplessness. It’s happening at school too. We are not better off for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My favorite is people complaining on Facebook about sidewalks not being shoveled and saying there’s no way the kids can go to school because of it. As if someone is going to just come along and do it for them. I get that plows made everything harder by piling up snow. They did it to us too, but you have to get out there and work on it or find someone who can help. It’s like there is no concept of personal responsibility anymore. Everyone just throws their hands up and says there’s no possible solution.

How does one work on a glacier?

Also, that isn’t personal responsibility. That is taking responsibility for your neighbors and doing things for them. Why are you advocating for us to mollycoddle our neighbors?

Maybe your neighbors need help? Why wouldn’t you want to help them?

We can tell what kind of neighbor PP is. Some are elderly or injured, and helping them is the right thing to do. Agree that no one should bail out able bodied neighbors that’s just incentivizing them to be lazy next time.