During the winter months, snow days are expected by many students and staff who have to transport themselves to school every morning. However, as an LPS rule, no more than five days can be given off due to harsh weather conditions—otherwise school will overflow into summer break. This causes those in charge of assigning snow days to think twice about declaring them, which if harsh weather conditions prolong, can be dangerous.
When a snowstorm hits, its effects don’t disappear in a singular day. It may take a couple of days or even a week for the black ice, as well as leftover residue, to melt. Although LPS may provide a snow day on the first day of a snowstorm, the second day isn’t guaranteed, as well as the third, etc. Students shouldn’t be receiving weeks off due to weather. However, with the inconsistency in needed snow days, dangerous accidents may happen to students or staff who drive and to those who walk or bike to school.
“I think that LPS should 100% give snow days when weather conditions apply. I know for my parents specifically, they are always worried about me on [the road] when I’m driving in unsafe conditions,” sophomore Natalie Pierce said. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to driving in risky situations.”
Snow days are more than just fun and relaxation, they’re about safety. In my opinion, restricting the number of snow days to a limit of five per year is unreasonable. It’s more risky to be sending new teen drivers and walkers to school in snowy, freezing weather than to miss a little content coverage. Although falling behind in school can be off-setting and confusing, priorities matter. Parents have concerns about sending their kids to school on such days as well.
“Think about the inexperienced teenage drivers, along with the elementary school kids that have to walk,” Cody Swartz, commenter on LPS’s school closure post, said. “With all the ice and how slippery both the sidewalks and streets will be, the answer [whether there should be a snow day or not] should be obvious.”
Overall, LPS has been doing well at assigning snow days when needed—it’s just an issue of consistency. All there is to do is hope the weather stays consistent enough to meet the five day limit, otherwise, no one will be saying their goodbyes on May 23.
