School districts have specific policies and procedures when it comes to snow days. If weather conditions are too dangerous for children to go to school, school districts will take the necessary precautions for the given situation. In addition to actions taken by the district, the Crown Point Community School Corporation states “parents have full support and authority to determine if it is unsafe for their children to travel to and from school.” Schools around the country have a similar policy for handling extreme weather conditions, especially in the winter. Parents can be assured that with virtual learning as an option, the weather does not have to be an obstacle in their child’s education.
The age of traditional snow days is ending with the growing use of e-learning days as a replacement. Remote learning allows students to not fall behind and eliminates having to make up days at the end of the school year. School can get out earlier without sacrificing days out of summer vacation to meet the Indiana state requirement of 180 instructional days. While this may seem like a viable solution to parents and teachers, snow days are a special part of the American culture that students today are missing out on. Future generations will lose out on memories of sledding, building snowmen and taking a needed break at home. Students that do not have equal access to technology at home or struggle in a virtual environment would benefit more from the classic snow day.
Each of us experience cold weather differently. Some people are better at tolerating the cold than others, and body temperature varies from person to person. There is something for everyone to enjoy on a snow day despite how they feel about the cold. A snow day can be a chance to relax inside wrapped in a warm blanket or test your body’s limits outside with the wind and ice. Ultimately, even though schools have the means to continue teaching students virtually, kids should be allowed time to get away from technology for a day and enjoy the snow day tradition.