Anonymous wrote:

A few years ago, our bus route had multiple accidents within the span of a few months. Should the entire county have been cancelled each time?

Look, when conditions are seriously bad, I get it. But if MCPS employs bus drivers who are incapable of driving safely in an inch of snow, they need to do more training and hire more qualified drivers etc. Snow is normal for this area and this time of year. Cancelling school every time there is a snowflake somewhere in the vicinity of one corner of this large county is absurd.

Which is why it's a good thing that they don't do that.

You have to wonder with the amount of money we pay in taxes,. the way the county leadership says how great things are, why can't they handle less than an inch of snow?

Those are the folks who need to answer to us, why weren't the roads handled better?

they need to make sure they are taken care of and they failed. If this is actually the reason the schools are closed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you seem to forget that there was a bus that slipped on the side of the road last week. No one hurt but imagine if that was your child in there. You would've freaked out. That's why. Highways are fine, school buses drive on neighborhood street. If you haven't walked outside yet and feel that some spots are slippery.

I understand that you need to get to work. I hate missing so much work too but I guess there were some buses that went out and realized it was not good enough to drive in.

Why would people have freaked out to get a message “Hey mom, our bus slid few feet. No one’s hurt but we’re waiting for a replacement bus.”?

A few years ago, our bus route had multiple accidents within the span of a few months. Should the entire county have been cancelled each time?

Look, when conditions are seriously bad, I get it. But if MCPS employs bus drivers who are incapable of driving safely in an inch of snow, they need to do more training and hire more qualified drivers etc. Snow is normal for this area and this time of year. Cancelling school every time there is a snowflake somewhere in the vicinity of one corner of this large county is absurd.

MoCo is a huge County - I’m used to this my now. Better safe than sorry.

Anonymous wrote:
Why would people have freaked out to get a message “Hey mom, our bus slid few feet. No one’s hurt but we’re waiting for a replacement bus.”?

You don't spend much time on DCUM, do you? Good for you!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Wow. Yippee for your privileged kids with a SAHM or nanny! Glad they can sleep in! (Apparently you don't care that they aren't learning.)

Most of us have jobs that involve schlepping to an office, so we are forced to either take off or scramble to find child care. Some parents don't have the luxury of paid leave.

Wut? Wait! I thought every WOHM is super happy and fulfilled working? Schlepping to office, scrambling to find child care, luxury of paid leave - sounds like you have it rough.

The WOHMS I know in real life are in high positions that they can take unpaid leave or telecommute. What can I say? You should have worked harder in college, Sweetie!

STFU. I’m a former SAHM and a-holes like you make things so much worse for us.

Anonymous wrote:Some of you seem to forget that there was a bus that slipped on the side of the road last week. No one hurt but imagine if that was your child in there. You would've freaked out. That's why. Highways are fine, school buses drive on neighborhood street. If you haven't walked outside yet and feel that some spots are slippery.

I understand that you need to get to work. I hate missing so much work too but I guess there were some buses that went out and realized it was not good enough to drive in.

Why would people have freaked out to get a message “Hey mom, our bus slid few feet. No one’s hurt but we’re waiting for a replacement bus.”?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I drove to work from Olney to DC in my puny Honda Civic and it was fine. Took me about 10 minutes longer than usual but that’s it.

A full day closure was not necessary, IMO. Thankfully KAH is fantastic about being open and the kids like it.

Well good for you and Olney. MCPS includes a lot more than Olney though so...

Um, we know. But Olney is near upper MoCo and we typically get hit harder than Silver Spring and the close-in burbs. If Olney was fine, then I'm sure the closer in burbs were perfectly fine. So where were the dangerous conditions in the county? And were the roads not treated? Our roads were clearly treated last night.

We are in Gaithersburg and commute into DC was slick due to icy secondary roads. Co worker from MOCO also almost hit a tree in his neighborhood on his way to work, so yes there are icy roads in Montgomery county. MCPS has to consider all of Moco, not just certain areas.

If you don't like the decision that was made by MCPS then move (although may other counties in the area made the same exact call). Stop coming online to complain when there is nothing that will change their decision. Geesh! We come online to complain that working parents need more time to make arrangements...blah blah blah. They have been talking about this snow for awhile. You should have planned beforehand so that way when they made decision to close you were already set. This is not the first delay/snow day this year. Plan better people.

From a working parent who planned well in advance who knew there was a possibility for a delay/snow today. Remember the closure is about safety. Do you really think the county wants to take days away from instruction?

Anonymous wrote:

And it’s not just the bus drivers, they have to worry about all the others, too. About 15 years ago there was a huge accident on Muncaster Mill—truck with bad brakes skidded, crossed the center line, hit a bus from Mill Creek Towne ES head on. MCPS bus driver was killed, 3 students in critical condition.

Yes, this happened in May 2000.

I have not been out so I cannot comment on the roads, but I can tell you that my hilly street in Rockville is snow covered and not treated.

Personally, I wanted a delay. However as my child uses special ed bussing and his driver complained about having no traction on our street last week, I am not complaining. That accident definitely scared me a bit!

That's the thing with the large county- they need to protect all of the children- from the ones taking special ed bussing, to the ones walking to schools, and even the teenagers driving. It is not an easy call. They rarely change it this late to a closure without pre-warning so I have to assume that people were seeing icy roads this morning.

I think the county has done a good job so far this year, especially compared to some of the other surrounding counties. I choose to accept that it is for the best and go with it.

Anonymous wrote:

Wow. Yippee for your privileged kids with a SAHM or nanny! Glad they can sleep in! (Apparently you don't care that they aren't learning.)

Most of us have jobs that involve schlepping to an office, so we are forced to either take off or scramble to find child care. Some parents don't have the luxury of paid leave.

PP, middle-school and high-school students don't need child care. They can stay home by themselves on a snow day.

Anonymous wrote:

Wow. Yippee for your privileged kids with a SAHM or nanny! Glad they can sleep in! (Apparently you don't care that they aren't learning.)

Most of us have jobs that involve schlepping to an office, so we are forced to either take off or scramble to find child care. Some parents don't have the luxury of paid leave.

Wut? Wait! I thought every WOHM is super happy and fulfilled working? Schlepping to office, scrambling to find child care, luxury of paid leave - sounds like you have it rough.

The WOHMS I know in real life are in high positions that they can take unpaid leave or telecommute. What can I say? You should have worked harder in college, Sweetie!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I drove to work from Olney to DC in my puny Honda Civic and it was fine. Took me about 10 minutes longer than usual but that’s it.

A full day closure was not necessary, IMO. Thankfully KAH is fantastic about being open and the kids like it.

Well good for you and Olney. MCPS includes a lot more than Olney though so...

Um, we know. But Olney is near upper MoCo and we typically get hit harder than Silver Spring and the close-in burbs. If Olney was fine, then I'm sure the closer in burbs were perfectly fine. So where were the dangerous conditions in the county? And were the roads not treated? Our roads were clearly treated last night.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you seem to forget that there was a bus that slipped on the side of the road last week. No one hurt but imagine if that was your child in there. You would've freaked out. That's why. Highways are fine, school buses drive on neighborhood street. If you haven't walked outside yet and feel that some spots are slippery.

I understand that you need to get to work. I hate missing so much work too but I guess there were some buses that went out and realized it was not good enough to drive in.

That bus driver was traveling too fast and failed to slow for the turn. It was 100% preventable and 100% driver error.

Ok well if it hadn’t been icy, his error would not have put him in a ditch. Blaming the bus driver is fine, but it doesn’t erase the end result or somehow make it better. MCPS doesn’t want to be explaining to parents how their child’s injuries were the result of bad bus driving, they want no injuries in the first place.

And it’s not just the bus drivers, they have to worry about all the others, too. About 15 years ago there was a huge accident on Muncaster Mill—truck with bad brakes skidded, crossed the center line, hit a bus from Mill Creek Towne ES head on. MCPS bus driver was killed, 3 students in critical condition.

I think they’re over cautious but then I’m not the one who would get sued.