Too cold for school? Why didn't RPS do 'distance learning' on Tuesday?

Yahoo

26-01-2025

Jan. 26—Dear Answer Man: I noticed that Rochester Public Schools gave everyone a day off on Tuesday, Jan. 21, when the weather was, admittedly, pretty darn cold. But why cancel school? Didn't the COVID-19 pandemic make school districts experts in remote learning? On top of that, I agree it was cold, but now I'm curious what the temperature cut-off is. — Uphill, Both Ways.
Dear Uphill,
Back in my day, the snowfall needed to be approaching double-digits before they'd cancel school at the old one-room schoolhouse of my youth. As for cold — and it got plenty cold in my hometown — I can't recall anyone giving us a day off because the mercury was nonexistent.
But maybe it's for the best that we don't make kids trudge to school in weather where the air makes their face hurt. Plus, kids these days don't know the first thing about layering their clothes to stay warm. Socks and Crocs isn't a way to keep your feet warm outside.
All that said, none of my "back in my day" geezerisms really answer your question. For a definitive answer, I reached out to RPS spokeswoman Mamisoa Knutson. She said the issue of providing remote learning during snow days — something the district calls E-Learning Days — is problematic, and something the teachers union and district negotiated in advance.
"We mutually agreed with (Rochester Education Association) that it would not be possible to provide high-quality instruction to all RPS students in the snow day format, as many students may not have their devices at home, may not have access to internet services, or may otherwise not be able to participate," Knutson said.
That makes sense. In the interest of being fair to all students, you wouldn't want to teach some kids while others don't have access to lessons.
As for when the district decides to pull the plug and keep kids at home — hopefully, under a blanket, eating warm soup — Knutson said there is no hard-and-fast rule.
"There is no magic number or a 'how to call off school' manual we can pull off the shelf and follow," Knutson said, adding Kent Pekel probably wishes there was. "No matter the decision made, we won't please everyone. When the windchill is minus-35 degrees or lower, the likelihood of equipment failure, such as buses not starting, increases."
In the case of Tuesday's closing, Knutson said, the National Weather Service issued an Extreme Cold Warning, the timing of which would have put students either waiting at bus stops or walking to school during the coldest temperatures of the day when frostbite is possible within 10 minutes.
"For the safety of our students, we made the decision to cancel school (Tuesday)," she said.
If calling off school for cold temperatures sounds like more of an art than a science, you ain't seen nothing yet. Knutson said determining when to call a snow day depends on the timing of the snowfall, the amount of snow, the ability of the city and county's public works staff to clear the roads adequately for buses to travel safely, and the ability of RPS staff to clear parking lots so staff and students have a place to park when they arrive at school.
"Heavy snowfall during the morning or afternoon commute makes it more difficult for buses to safely pick up and drop students off at their destinations," she said. "And unlike the temperature predictions, which tend to be largely reliable, snowfall predictions can be tricky. A low-level jet stream and some dry air, and bam ... the snowstorm ends up north of Cannon Falls, and we barely have to shovel. It's a delicate dance."
So kvetch if you must, Uphill, but let's not begrudge those kids a day off on a cold Minnesota morning. After all, a snow — or cold — day is a rite of passage.
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