MCPS made the correct call, and I appreciate the early notice (also helps set kids' expectations.) My son walked the 3 blocks to school today in his winter jacket and jersey-lined pants and a balaclava. He literally will never wear any of this kind of stuff on any other day of the year (insists on wearing a heavy fleece and "pants I can run in" in just about any other kind of weather.)

I didn't see the normal stream of kids walking by our house or waiting at the nearby busstops, so I'm assuming a lot of parents drove their kids. Which seems perfectly reasonable. Point is that everyone survived, no one was tremendously inconvenienced, and the kids are back in school where they should be.

For those who think it's chest-puffing, you're just projecting - if there is no safety issue involved, there is simply no reason to cancel school. Period. And except for individuals with particular health issues (like the daughter of the PP above), there is no credible case that it is unsafe to go to school on a bitterly cold day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids at the bus stop survived. It was a miracle they didn't freeze. (insert eye roll)

It is not THAT cold out. What a total waste of those other districts to keep a parent home again because of temperatures above freezing. I am thankful of MCPS decision

I agree completely. It's warmed up from 1 degree to 2 degrees already! Practically tropical!

You are an idiot. Kids are walking to school without hats, jackets unzippered. They don't care. It isn't windy. They will survive helicopter mommy. Tell your kids to suck it up.

Did I say anything about keeping school closed? Or kids wearing hats? No, all I said is that 2 degrees Fahrenheit is cold. It is idiotic to say that 2 degrees Fahrenheit is cold? Are you from Oymyakon?

No I am originally from Chicago and 2 degrees on a sunny non-windy is not that cold, especially for 10min outside bundled up. To be sarcastic about it being tropical just shows how ridiculous we are.

How nice for you. I am originally from Iowa, and I think that 2 degrees on a sunny, non-windy day (though actually it is windy here) is cold. Not Antarctica cold; not Greenland cold; not Siberia cold. Maybe not even Chicago cold! But cold.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids at the bus stop survived. It was a miracle they didn't freeze. (insert eye roll)

It is not THAT cold out. What a total waste of those other districts to keep a parent home again because of temperatures above freezing. I am thankful of MCPS decision

I agree completely. It's warmed up from 1 degree to 2 degrees already! Practically tropical!

You are an idiot. Kids are walking to school without hats, jackets unzippered. They don't care. It isn't windy. They will survive helicopter mommy. Tell your kids to suck it up.

Did I say anything about keeping school closed? Or kids wearing hats? No, all I said is that 2 degrees Fahrenheit is cold. It is idiotic to say that 2 degrees Fahrenheit is cold? Are you from Oymyakon?

No I am originally from Chicago and 2 degrees on a sunny non-windy is not that cold, especially for 10min outside bundled up. To be sarcastic about it being tropical just shows how ridiculous we are.

Good call MCPS and DCPS!

This weather is a dangerous strain on my DD's heart condition so she stayed home today. Without that medical issue she would have gone. I still think it was a puffing of the chest move for MoCo.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS made the right decision to open schools today. My kids made it to school no problem. In fact my son's bus arrived at the bus stop at the exact time it was expected. There was no need for another day off for the kids. In fact, middle school and high school students are getting ready for semester exams and they need the time in school. I'm sure MCPS has no intention of postponing those exams and the kids would have suffered with losing another day of instruction. The reality is that if school had been cancelled the kids would have made it over to the mall to hang out. I see it all of the time when they have a snow day.

+1,000,000

No, MCPS got it right. I'm in Fairfax County, and it's totally fine. We should be in school. Yes, it's cold and in the single digits. But there's no wind. That was the concern--the wind chill temps at -10 degrees. So far, I've hardly seen a branch flutter this morning.

Anonymous wrote:

Just look around our area. All the large VA systems are either closed or on a 2 hour delay, yet MCPS is open on time. Sounds more like MCPS is trying to look tough rather than making the prudent decision.

MCPS is trying to look tough. How ridiculous. They are worried about too many snow days forcing them to extend the school year. They don't care about what the parents/students think but the MCPS staff does not want to lose President's day or summer vacation time.

When MCPS closes, it is wrong. Stupid wimpy MCPS.
When MCPS doesn't close, it is wrong. Stupid run-by-the-teachers'-unions MCPS.

MCPS made the right decision to open schools today. My kids made it to school no problem. In fact my son's bus arrived at the bus stop at the exact time it was expected. There was no need for another day off for the kids. In fact, middle school and high school students are getting ready for semester exams and they need the time in school. I'm sure MCPS has no intention of postponing those exams and the kids would have suffered with losing another day of instruction. The reality is that if school had been cancelled the kids would have made it over to the mall to hang out. I see it all of the time when they have a snow day.

Just look around our area. All the large VA systems are either closed or on a 2 hour delay, yet MCPS is open on time. Sounds more like MCPS is trying to look tough rather than making the prudent decision.

MCPS is trying to look tough. How ridiculous. They are worried about too many snow days forcing them to extend the school year. They don't care about what the parents/students think but the MCPS staff does not want to lose President's day or summer vacation time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the people who don't have cars, and can't afford extra winter gear don't matter? A little frost bit is fine for the poors?

There are poor people, asthmatic people, and people without cars all over the country, going about their business every day.

Wait times at bus stops are not long, and schools are well-heated.

Everything will be fine.

Any teacher who's taught in a portable and whose children are stuck in one would keep his/her kid home tomorrow.

Portables are awful.

my kids is warm she wore short sleeves today

Most of HS kids at the bus stop near me usually have shorts and a sweatshirt on when its in the 30's. I think they can survive a few minutes in the cold.
Once again angry parents are tweeting Dr. Starr to voice their displeasure - what a bunch of whack jobs.
If you disagree then take the day off from work and keep your kid home - plain and simple.

I saw a few in bubble wrap this morning

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids at the bus stop survived. It was a miracle they didn't freeze. (insert eye roll)

It is not THAT cold out. What a total waste of those other districts to keep a parent home again because of temperatures above freezing. I am thankful of MCPS decision

I agree completely. It's warmed up from 1 degree to 2 degrees already! Practically tropical!

You are an idiot. Kids are walking to school without hats, jackets unzippered. They don't care. It isn't windy. They will survive helicopter mommy. Tell your kids to suck it up.

Did I say anything about keeping school closed? Or kids wearing hats? No, all I said is that 2 degrees Fahrenheit is cold. It is idiotic to say that 2 degrees Fahrenheit is cold? Are you from Oymyakon?

I just finished dropping off my kids (high, middle and elementary). We live in the upcounty and I thought it was not such a big deal.

It WAS cold, but the roads were dry and the buses came in time. I think the county's decision to open the schools is good. Especially, I appreciate that they told us a night before.