View Full Version : Is Oklahoma City Public Schools right for closing due to the cold?



GoOKC1991
02-05-2014, 01:41 PM
There is a mixed bag of opinions on this. Many say it's a good decision because many children don't have the proper layers of clothing and or their parents don't have a car to take them to school, many also walk. Others say it's stupid and that the children need to deal with the cold and go to school.

What do you think?

Midtowner
02-05-2014, 02:07 PM
There are some kids who have to wait a really long time for the bus. Some routes require the bus to come back more than once.

catch22
02-05-2014, 02:15 PM
They should just move school back an hour or two later.

Midtowner
02-05-2014, 02:19 PM
You should write David Lopez an email. I'll bet he hasn't thought of that.

gjl
02-05-2014, 02:19 PM
Was there not cold weather 40-50 years ago? Because I don't remember ever staying home from school because it was cold. For snow yes, but not cold. I heard they are going to close school if it gets over 100 degrees too.

venture
02-05-2014, 02:21 PM
They should just move school back an hour or two later.

Where I grew up we did a lot of 1 and 2 hour delays. Essentially the first hour or two of school would just be eliminated. They won't make kids stay later that day, the morning classes just get skipped. Of course, we didn't cancel/delay school up there for wind chill unless it was going lower than 20 below. If there was no recovery for the day, they would just cancel. We also delayed school starts for fog as well when it was too low, but I've never see that here.

Plutonic Panda
02-05-2014, 02:27 PM
They should just move school back an hour or two later.So temp will go up a few degrees?

Richard at Remax
02-05-2014, 02:39 PM
A good friend of mine is an south side okc elementary school teacher and regardless of how cold it is, he still has kids show up in shorts and tee shirts. Also says it is ridiculous to keep closing when streets are fine.

As for school closings growing up, it took a nuclear holocaust for them to cancel my school for the day.

OKCisOK4me
02-05-2014, 03:24 PM
Honestly people are getting softer AND honestly, I never remember it ever being this cold in the mornings when I was in high school and that was in north central Missouri--far colder there--and we only cancelled one evening of sports activities because it was an away basketball game (over one hour traveling time by bus) and night time temps were in the negative teens. Other than that, we never had daytime school canceled due to cold weather.

Garin
02-05-2014, 05:12 PM
Here's an ideas how about the parents actually taking there kids to school. Employers would understand wouldn't they?

RadicalModerate
02-05-2014, 06:20 PM
Would a good homework assignment for a "snow"/"cold"/"potential icing"/etcl day be to decide if it should be "Are Oklahoma City Public Schools right . . . " or "Is Oklahoma City Public Schools right . . ." Sh!t . . . it's like down around zero out there. It makes you think about sh!t like that. Especially if you have to ride the bus to skool instead of being dropped off in an suv...

RadicalModerate
02-05-2014, 06:21 PM
(transient anomaly) it's cold out there. =)

OKCisOK4me
02-05-2014, 06:40 PM
Would a good homework assignment for a "snow"/"cold"/"potential icing"/etcl day be to decide if it should be "Are Oklahoma City Public Schools right . . . " or "Is Oklahoma City Public Schools right . . ." Sh!t . . . it's like down around zero out there. It makes you think about sh!t like that. Especially if you have to ride the bus to skool instead of being dropped off in an suv...

You remind me of the puzzlebox in Hellraiser...

Jersey Boss
02-05-2014, 06:48 PM
I do not know whether or not it is factual, but I was told by a parent of children in the district that several of the "temporary" class room structures do not have adequate heat.

RadicalModerate
02-05-2014, 06:52 PM
You remind me of the puzzlebox in Hellraiser...

Best complement (or insult) to date.
Thanks! =)

"Dude: it's cold as hell out there."
"really? is "global warming" even affecting the norms in hell? this could be serious!"

mugofbeer
02-05-2014, 07:17 PM
Even in CO they will close schools if it gets cold enough. A few years ago it was down to - 15 for a few days so some of them closed until it was safe to wait for busses

MustangGT
02-05-2014, 07:45 PM
Kids today are such weak gutted pultroons. This is caused by parents who are spineless. If the roads are passable then the schools should be open. The fact that some may not have the proper attire falls under the heading of too f'ing bad.

Garin
02-05-2014, 08:46 PM
I do not know whether or not it is factual, but I was told by a parent of children in the district that several of the "temporary" class room structures do not have adequate heat.

So move class to the cafeteria or forget building a convention center and upgrade these pile of crap schools.

GoOKC1991
02-05-2014, 08:52 PM
Kids today are such weak gutted pultroons. This is caused by parents who are spineless. If the roads are passable then the schools should be open. The fact that some may not have the proper attire falls under the heading of too f'ing bad.

Amen. Parents can find winter coats if they would just look for the coat drives around this city, OR, spend money on winter clothing instead of cell phones and XBOX's.

Mel
02-05-2014, 08:53 PM
A good friend of mine is an south side okc elementary school teacher and regardless of how cold it is, he still has kids show up in shorts and tee shirts. Also says it is ridiculous to keep closing when streets are fine.

As for school closings growing up, it took a nuclear holocaust for them to cancel my school for the day.

Way off topic but your post reminded me of something. I was living on Key West during the Cuban Missile Crisis and I was happy school was closed for a bit.

Paseofreak
02-05-2014, 09:02 PM
Amen. Parents can find winter coats if they would just look for the coat drives around this city, OR, spend money on winter clothing instead of cell phones and XBOX's.

Except they don't. There are still parents out there burning kids with cigarettes and breaking their bones. A few days of missed school won't change any outcomes. No need to send kids out in -5 degree wind chill unprepared. I'll bet you get directly in a car with a heater every day to go to work. Some of these kids are only five years old. Why make them endure hardship that they will eventually abandon with any measure of success?

Achilleslastand
02-05-2014, 09:06 PM
I cannot recall once when I was a young go getter that school was closed just for it being cold. Snow and ice yes......cold no.
I swear we are raising a generation of spineless coddled wimps.

Mel
02-05-2014, 09:07 PM
If it saves kids from anymore suffering than what they might already have going on in their lives then it is a good thing. You have to factor in baby makers that worry more about their dope and cell phones than their offspring.

venture
02-05-2014, 09:08 PM
Anyone know what the average walking distance is for most students that don't have bus service? Also what the average bus stop wait time is?

Jersey Boss
02-05-2014, 09:48 PM
Ha Ha Ha, all these "back in my day comments" are hilarious. If the schools are not adequately heated or cooled, its on the voters, not the kids.

Achilleslastand
02-05-2014, 10:14 PM
Isnt that what a portion of property taxes are for? And what about the income from the state shell game err I mean lottery. And does not the state get a kickback from the endless amount of Indian Casinos? Maybe we need to allow the tribes to build 1 casino per school ....j/k of course.

Its pretty bad when we obviously cant afford to heat the schools or keep them properly insulated. Heck I though we were "big league". Apparently not.

Plutonic Panda
02-05-2014, 10:21 PM
I support closing schools when the temperature gets cold. If they never closed school back in the for cold, then I don't know what to say. It isn't about being tough, it's about life or death. These temperatures out here are life threatening, and the thing about it here is, a lot of people don't understand that. People more north where these kinds of temperatures are the norm do and they have (a) the proper protection and clothing needed for it (b) become more accustomed and are able to "respect it" more.

Another question is, do the buses have heaters on them?
What percentage of students are located in classrooms without heating and proper insulation?

Celebrator
02-05-2014, 10:39 PM
You know, as usual, the schools are damned if they do and damned if they don't. If one kid's life is endangered and it makes the news, the schools will be killed in the media for making the kids go to school in these dangerous conditions. If they cancel school for it being too cold, they are coddling the kids, wasting money, etc. They just can't win. I support doing what's best for kids. And there are so many kids with parental situations that are atrocious, that I would rather look out for them and keep them safe than depend on careless parents doing the right thing to protect their kids from these temps. As a former teacher, I experienced these types of situations often. And when you do what's best for the kids every time, you usually get it right.

Jersey Boss
02-05-2014, 10:53 PM
Isnt that what a portion of property taxes are for? And what about the income from the state shell game err I mean lottery. And does not the state get a kickback from the endless amount of Indian Casinos? Maybe we need to allow the tribes to build 1 casino per school ....j/k of course.

Its pretty bad when we obviously cant afford to heat the schools or keep them properly insulated. Heck I though we were "big league". Apparently not.

Those are the offsets for the massive tax credits the state doles out.

ljbab728
02-05-2014, 10:53 PM
Another question is, do the buses have heaters on them?
What percentage of students are located in classrooms without heating and proper insulation?

Plupan, I used to ride on school buses over 50 years ago and they had heaters so I don't think that's an issue.

Jersey Boss
02-05-2014, 10:56 PM
Anyone know what the average walking distance is for most students that don't have bus service? Also what the average bus stop wait time is?

It's not the average that's important, it's the furthest and longest.

blangtang
02-05-2014, 11:05 PM
This new "cold weather" policy simply means they are going to cancel school when there's any chance for "severe weather" this spring. Get used to it.

Achilleslastand
02-05-2014, 11:06 PM
This new "cold weather" policy simply means they are going to cancel school when there's any chance for "severe weather" this spring. Get used to it.

At this rate the kids will be in school til July.

Paseofreak
02-05-2014, 11:08 PM
Didn't MAPS 2 take care of classroom conditions? WTF?

Plutonic Panda
02-05-2014, 11:12 PM
Plupan, I used to ride on school buses over 50 years ago and they had heaters so I don't think that's an issue.Ah, gotcha my bad. Never rode a bus that often, so I don't know. I've been inside one and know some of them didn't have air-conditioning for hot conditions, just a fan and you'd roll down the windows. I'm sure the new ones have them though.

Plutonic Panda
02-05-2014, 11:12 PM
Didn't MAPS 2 take care of classroom conditions? WTF?That's what I was thinking. I would hope that covered the basic functions at least.

gjl
02-05-2014, 11:20 PM
At this rate the kids will be in school til July.

Nope because in July it will be over 100 degrees and that means no school.

venture
02-05-2014, 11:20 PM
It's not the average that's important, it's the furthest and longest.

Good point. :)

ljbab728
02-05-2014, 11:27 PM
Much ado about nothing. If necessary, the solution is a slightly longer school day for makeup days.

venture
02-06-2014, 12:15 AM
Much ado about nothing. If necessary, the solution is a slightly longer school day for makeup days.

Extending the school year is another option itself. Are we still 175 days minimum per year? Where I previously lived it was north of 180 days a year but were scheduled for more than that so they could bake in the 5 additional calamity/snow days into the calendar.

UnclePete
02-06-2014, 03:40 AM
Instead of school being out in the Summer, why not close school for December, January, and February. It wouldn't hurt for the kiddies to miss a Summer vacation.

kevinpate
02-06-2014, 08:00 AM
At this rate the kids will be in school til July.

Hasn't OKC adopted a year round schedule already?

ou48A
02-06-2014, 09:40 AM
Ah, gotcha my bad. Never rode a bus that often, so I don't know. I've been inside one and know some of them didn't have air-conditioning for hot conditions, just a fan and you'd roll down the windows. I'm sure the new ones have them though.

In the 1930's my dad grew up playing basketball in a very small town in Kansan. On one occasion the heater on their bus broke before they left for an out of town basketball game. The coach took several 5 gallon steel buckets and fill them full of sand. He then set them on top of the schools boiler for several hours. They apparently provided plenty of heat, but they were reheated by the home team for the return trip home in a coal fire that was burned in a 55 gallon steel drum.

My dad always said when there is a will there is a way until the bankers and lawyers get involved.

ou48A
02-06-2014, 09:44 AM
You know, as usual, the schools are damned if they do and damned if they don't. If one kid's life is endangered and it makes the news, the schools will be killed in the media for making the kids go to school in these dangerous conditions. If they cancel school for it being too cold, they are coddling the kids, wasting money, etc. They just can't win. I support doing what's best for kids. And there are so many kids with parental situations that are atrocious, that I would rather look out for them and keep them safe than depend on careless parents doing the right thing to protect their kids from these temps. As a former teacher, I experienced these types of situations often. And when you do what's best for the kids every time, you usually get it right.As you may know OKCPS has plenty of parents who would rather buy weed than buy a warm coat for their kids.
Some of these parents would just as soon see their kids frost bitten so they could sue the district so they would have more money for weed.

ou48A
02-06-2014, 09:58 AM
I support closing schools when the temperature gets cold. If they never closed school back in the for cold, then I don't know what to say. It isn't about being tough, it's about life or death. These temperatures out here are life threatening, and the thing about it here is, a lot of people don't understand that. People more north where these kinds of temperatures are the norm do and they have (a) the proper protection and clothing needed for it (b) become more accustomed and are able to "respect it" more.

Another question is, do the buses have heaters on them?
What percentage of students are located in classrooms without heating and proper insulation?



My wife is a teacher in the OKCPS
In the record heat of August 2012 my wife’s class room did not have air conditioning.. until the next spring....She also didn't have heat until mid to late winter. She didn't have air-conditioning for several weeks at the start of this calender school year.

While I agree with the rest of your post there are many parent who are either too stupid to understand the situation or do not care if their kids have warm clothing.
In a few cases the kids have been dropped off at school well before the doors open in this extreme cold.
But there is still a certain about of mind set even today other wise places much colder than our area wouldn't be going to school much of the winter.

OKCTalker
02-06-2014, 10:04 AM
I heard that today is the last "free" snow day with OCPS, and any additional snow days will result in extra school days added to the end of the school year. Anybody else hear this?

ou48A
02-06-2014, 10:05 AM
Statistically the coldest week of the year is something like the second week of January?

It seems like if you are playing the weather odds that it would be better if OKCPS stayed in school an extra week in December and then delayed going back to school in January by a week...?

ou48A
02-06-2014, 10:07 AM
I heard that today is the last "free" snow day with OCPS, and any additional snow days will result in extra school days added to the end of the school year. Anybody else hear this?Actually the kids will now need to make up anytime lost starting with today.

onthestrip
02-06-2014, 10:51 AM
Isnt that what a portion of property taxes are for? And what about the income from the state shell game err I mean lottery. And does not the state get a kickback from the endless amount of Indian Casinos? Maybe we need to allow the tribes to build 1 casino per school ....j/k of course.

Its pretty bad when we obviously cant afford to heat the schools or keep them properly insulated. Heck I though we were "big league". Apparently not.

Your posts on this thread are highly insensitive and ignorant.

When okc cancelled school a couple years ago mainly because of the frigid temps, I thought it was a wussy move. All it took was one person explaining to me that many for have the necessary clothing for me to understand. Something like 3/4 of okc school kids are on free or reduced lunches (basically they're poor) and that leaves many that have to walk or wait outside and aren't clothed properly.

Regarding this post of yours above, you obviously haven't been paying attention to how our legislature has gutted edu funding. Doing away with intangible property tax (which goes directly to edu)has and will cost $50mil a year. Eliminating franchise tax has cost state millions. Overall budget cuts and the idea that we have to keep slashing income tax rate all equal a poor education situation. You should be thankful there is a lottery to offset some of this. Just because the thunder made us a big league city doesn't mean our lawmakers know what the hell they're doing.

You probably don't care though. You are probably thinking of other ways to punish, shame, and freeze kids because of their parents inability to provide or just their overall stupidity not to. I, however, am totally fine with them canceling school.

Garin
02-06-2014, 11:23 AM
I cannot recall once when I was a young go getter that school was closed just for it being cold. Snow and ice yes......cold no.
I swear we are raising a generation of spineless coddled wimps.

I think the word is sissified.

onthestrip
02-06-2014, 12:10 PM
Maybe those saying the kids are wimps should send their own kids out to walk or wait on the bus to school without a winter coat or stocking cap.

MustangGT
02-06-2014, 02:40 PM
If it saves kids from anymore suffering than what they might already have going on in their lives then it is a good thing. You have to factor in baby makers that worry more about their dope and cell phones than their offspring.

Malarkey.

ljbab728
02-06-2014, 03:01 PM
Hasn't OKC adopted a year round schedule already?

They have changed the schedule but are still out in June and July. These links will show you the current schedules.

http://okcps.schooldesk.net/Portals/Okcs/District/docs/Calendars/2013-2014%20Student%20FINAL.pdf

http://www.okcps.org/Portals/Okcs/District/docs/Calendars/2014-2015%20Student.pdf

s00nr1
02-06-2014, 03:46 PM
Just a thought: Might it not be better for the kids in the referenced negative home situations to be at school?

UnclePete
02-06-2014, 05:31 PM
I went to Choctaw Jr High and Highschool and we never, ever got out of school account of the weather. I always heard because Choctaw school was in the Tinker Impact zone, they had to have school to get the federal money.

Dennis Heaton
02-06-2014, 07:29 PM
I am sooooo glad I went to school in San Diego when I was a kid!