Anonymous
01/30/2026 01:02
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
Because they do have a liability. Letting kids get on at stops that you know are unsafe is a liability. You can't just waive everything away, especially if the consequence is missed work--that's duress.
The stops aren't unsafe. Just inconvenient. Walk over the snow. There are tracks to follow.
We cannot get to the bus stop. There is a cut through on an unsafe street. No way to climb over the mound not wait or even get to the bus. No place to even drive and park for the bus to come.
HSers bus stop there is no walking too. It’s an ice sidewalk with mounds of ice at the end courtesy of the snow plows. Kids would have to stand in the street.
Anonymous
01/30/2026 00:59
Subject: Re:What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Kids should just suck it up and go to school. Oh but the sidewalks are slick! Too bad. Get to school. They should protest this by showing up and demanding an education. These same kids are sledding and running around outside.
Kids will be fine, it is their nasty parents who will sue at the drop of a hat that MCPS is afraid of. If they sled and hurt themselves its on them but if they hurt themselves trying to get to school, the same Karens who want school to open will be calling the media.
10000% correct. Piss and moan about schools being closed but they'll be the first one on the evening news complaining if their 8 year old was stuck on a school bus for 3 hours because it got stuck in a turn lane.
+10000 Having had a coworker who’s 5yr broke her leg from falling on ice at school I over stand the precautions. People forget so much goes into opening schools:
Sidewalks near school
Bus loop
School parking lot
Are the critical infrastructure system working
Can buses make it up neighborhood roads
Are the bus stops clear and safe
Is it safe for walkers
Can teachers and staff get in safely
There’s clearly going to be no outdoor recess which means teachers are losing planning/meeting time
Anonymous
01/30/2026 00:53
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
Because they do have a liability. Letting kids get on at stops that you know are unsafe is a liability. You can't just waive everything away, especially if the consequence is missed work--that's duress.
The stops aren't unsafe. Just inconvenient. Walk over the snow. There are tracks to follow.
We cannot get to the bus stop. There is a cut through on an unsafe street. No way to climb over the mound not wait or even get to the bus. No place to even drive and park for the bus to come.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 23:57
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
No, MCPS isn't unique. What are you talking about? You don't think other districts have buses? Or you think only MCPS bears any liability?
Yes, other districts don't have buses, and because of that, they are able to open. Sure, many do, but some don't.
Other than DCPS, what districts in the DMV don't have buses? That's the unique case, not MCPS.
How do you think Frederick is opening tomorrow? You don't think they have buses?
It's a smaller region with less schools. Educate yourself before posting.
So because they're smaller they don't incur the "liability burden of getting students to school"? Despite having buses?
How does that work? If you're under 100k students you can't be sued?
Just because a DCUM poster says they closed simply because of liability, you take that as fact? Yikes....you'll fall for anything. Good luck in life!
You didn’t catch the sarcasm in PP’s line of questioning? I think you’re the one who needs the luck.
DP but nah- I didn’t. People on DCUM are generally this stupid, so sarcasm doesn’t actually work here.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 23:21
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What have these people been up to all week? I get that this snowcrete is hard to clear but every shopping center and office building in the county has managed to do it!!
Wrong - sidewalks in the shopping center near my home have a nice block of ice but the parking lot is clear though. I had a medical appointment and I had to walk on the snow/ice since there was no sidewalk. I was anxious since I already have a bad hip and holding onto the parking meter till and was relieved when I got to the walk path beyond the sidewalk.
It made me sad when I thought about people less fortunate than I am who rely on public transportation like buses. Near the Ride on bus stop someone cleared a narrow path on the mound of snow, and the sidewalk just on either side of the stop was clear.
The way the county treats low income housing residents is disgusting. Their apartment walkways have t been shoveled yet they can't get the residents help to have management do their damn job of clearing the walking areas
I'm genuinely curious - in apartments, are the residents supposed to clear anything besides their cars? The nurse at the doc office said she couldn't come to work the past few days because the steps and walk path to her car was not cleared.
Typically if no HOA the management or owner of the apartments is responsible for clearing or contracting out the cleaning of common areas such as walkways, parking lot, sidewalks.
Low income housing residents also probably do not have health insurance. They need assistance to get their landlord to shovel the freezing rain and snow from the walkways, sidewalks and parking lots so they can get to their cars, bus stops, carpool vehicle, Uber. Etc.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 23:12
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Per WaPo:
So many Frederick Co parents are unhappy with the decision for tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see their attendance rates. I have heard some parts of Carroll Co are okay, but they would have far less walkers than MCPS.
Frederick could change to closed after they assess the conditions in the morning. Also smaller than Montgomery County.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 23:09
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:It will be closed Monday. They have already stated activities in schools closed Sat and Sun. If they are not cleaning over the weekend all the 211 schools, buses, depot, sidewalks, walkways, moving the huge snowbanks away, this stuff is not melting until maybe a Monday when the temp will be whopping 33 degrees. Tues delay or possibly closed if this County still can't figure it out.
Ah, I missed this! Thanks for the heads up.
Agree that schools will be closed Monday and a delay on Tuesday.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 22:34
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
No, MCPS isn't unique. What are you talking about? You don't think other districts have buses? Or you think only MCPS bears any liability?
Yes, other districts don't have buses, and because of that, they are able to open. Sure, many do, but some don't.
Other than DCPS, what districts in the DMV don't have buses? That's the unique case, not MCPS.
How do you think Frederick is opening tomorrow? You don't think they have buses?
It's a smaller region with less schools. Educate yourself before posting.
So because they're smaller they don't incur the "liability burden of getting students to school"? Despite having buses?
How does that work? If you're under 100k students you can't be sued?
Just because a DCUM poster says they closed simply because of liability, you take that as fact? Yikes....you'll fall for anything. Good luck in life!
You didn’t catch the sarcasm in PP’s line of questioning? I think you’re the one who needs the luck.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 22:31
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
No, MCPS isn't unique. What are you talking about? You don't think other districts have buses? Or you think only MCPS bears any liability?
Yes, other districts don't have buses, and because of that, they are able to open. Sure, many do, but some don't.
Other than DCPS, what districts in the DMV don't have buses? That's the unique case, not MCPS.
How do you think Frederick is opening tomorrow? You don't think they have buses?
It's a smaller region with less schools. Educate yourself before posting.
So because they're smaller they don't incur the "liability burden of getting students to school"? Despite having buses?
How does that work? If you're under 100k students you can't be sued?
Just because a DCUM poster says they closed simply because of liability, you take that as fact? Yikes....you'll fall for anything. Good luck in life!
Yes, because the combination of my posts clearly suggested I thought that poster was accurate...
Anonymous
01/29/2026 22:21
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
No, MCPS isn't unique. What are you talking about? You don't think other districts have buses? Or you think only MCPS bears any liability?
Yes, other districts don't have buses, and because of that, they are able to open. Sure, many do, but some don't.
Other than DCPS, what districts in the DMV don't have buses? That's the unique case, not MCPS.
How do you think Frederick is opening tomorrow? You don't think they have buses?
It's a smaller region with less schools. Educate yourself before posting.
So because they're smaller they don't incur the "liability burden of getting students to school"? Despite having buses?
How does that work? If you're under 100k students you can't be sued?
Just because a DCUM poster says they closed simply because of liability, you take that as fact? Yikes....you'll fall for anything. Good luck in life!
Anonymous
01/29/2026 22:14
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
No, MCPS isn't unique. What are you talking about? You don't think other districts have buses? Or you think only MCPS bears any liability?
Yes, other districts don't have buses, and because of that, they are able to open. Sure, many do, but some don't.
Other than DCPS, what districts in the DMV don't have buses? That's the unique case, not MCPS.
How do you think Frederick is opening tomorrow? You don't think they have buses?
It's a smaller region with less schools. Educate yourself before posting.
So because they're smaller they don't incur the "liability burden of getting students to school"? Despite having buses?
How does that work? If you're under 100k students you can't be sued?
Anonymous
01/29/2026 21:49
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
No, MCPS isn't unique. What are you talking about? You don't think other districts have buses? Or you think only MCPS bears any liability?
Yes, other districts don't have buses, and because of that, they are able to open. Sure, many do, but some don't.
Other than DCPS, what districts in the DMV don't have buses? That's the unique case, not MCPS.
How do you think Frederick is opening tomorrow? You don't think they have buses?
It's a smaller region with less schools. Educate yourself before posting.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 21:42
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
No, MCPS isn't unique. What are you talking about? You don't think other districts have buses? Or you think only MCPS bears any liability?
Yes, other districts don't have buses, and because of that, they are able to open. Sure, many do, but some don't.
Other than DCPS, what districts in the DMV don't have buses? That's the unique case, not MCPS.
How do you think Frederick is opening tomorrow? You don't think they have buses?
I drove through Frederick today. They clearly didn’t get as much snow and ice as Montgomery Co.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 21:00
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
The solution for unsafe conditions can't be to continue to put kids at risk. The creative solution should be to solve the safety issue, not to have parents sign a paper promising to not sue if their kids get injured or die.
You solve the safety issue by having parents take their children to school, or opting not to if they believe it's not safe.
Unfortunately parents will send kids in unsafe conditions if school is open.
Yeah, just like they'll leave them home alone in unsafe conditions if school is closed.
Anonymous
01/29/2026 20:59
Subject: What about Monday?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This seems to be because MCPS takes on the liability burden of getting students to school, whereas other systems do not. Are there creative ways to work around that? Waiver for bus riding/attendance? Optional open days?
Because they do have a liability. Letting kids get on at stops that you know are unsafe is a liability. You can't just waive everything away, especially if the consequence is missed work--that's duress.
The stops aren't unsafe. Just inconvenient. Walk over the snow. There are tracks to follow.
Now imagine it is your elderly parents walking your 5 year old to school
They don't need to hold their hands until they get up to the bus.
But they will have to climb over the 2-3 feet of packed icy snow and sleet blocking the crosswalks.
Sure. Or you could walk them. Or send them with a neighbor.
If your parents are that frail, I'm surprised you're not worried about them in other conditions.