Montgomery County saw its first substantial snowfall of the season on Friday, Dec. 5, with wintry precipitation blanketing communities across the D.C. metro area. The winter weather prompted a wave of school closures and delays in the region, especially in neighboring areas of Virginia, where many districts either issued a two-hour delay or completely closed operations for the day. MCPS initially sent out a message on Thursday, Dec. 4 stating they were monitoring the weather forecast for the next morning, with a possible closure or delay still up in the air. Despite this, the district eventually notified students and families early next morning that MCPS would be operating on Code Green, meaning that school operations were to continue as normal.
Most locations in the county saw an accumulation of between one and two inches, though snowfall totals reached three inches in parts of the immediate D.C. metro area. Various factors, such as an infusion of frigid air from a disrupted polar vortex that has brought chilling temperatures to much of the region, created favorable conditions that led to Friday’s snow.
MCPS has detailed how it makes snow-related decisions on its website, where they write that “safety is always [their] top priority” and that MCPS always relies on a “practiced, step-by-process-not guesswork-to decide whether schools open on time, delay, dismiss early, or close.” Beginning at 2 a.m, MCPS deploys a team that checks roads and monitors forecasts across the entire county, citing that they need to have an accurate view of conditions across the county in order to make a logical decision. They concluded the segment by stating that “if [students] can’t make it to school, there is no school.”
According to the school district’s official website, weather-related changes to school operations are classified on a color-coded scale. Aside from Code Green, there exist other options including Code Yellow, which signals a two-hour delay, Code Blue, which signifies an early dismissal, Code Orange, when school is out but offices remain open and Code Red, which indicates a complete school closure. The system also previously included Code Purple as one of its options, which meant that students would have virtual classes reminiscent of pandemic times, though this option has since been discontinued.
On the morning of Dec. 5, the morning school rush was marred by numerous incidents, six or seven of which, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) spokesperson Pete Piringer, involved school buses. Thus, the decision to open schools without delay in spite of accumulating snowfall, slick roads, and dangerous crashes sparked controversy among students and staff across the district, including those at RM.
“I think the decision was very stupid,” said junior Samuel Yan. “When I looked out the front window, we could not go to school because there was so much snow built up… I could only come to school in the afternoon when some of the snow had melted.”
Biology and Forensics teacher Karl Kovacs also gave his opinion on the issue, expressing his disagreement with the decision but also citing the volatile nature of making choices like these. “It was a day that was totally 100% meant to be a two-hour delay. I mean, it was textbook. But that’s hindsight. Nobody can predict the weather totally with accuracy,” he said.
A common supposition among students was that the decision was made in order to “make up” for the two-hour delay issued by MCPS on Tuesday, Dec. 2 that same week, in which many parts of the county faced little to no inclement weather, instead getting primarily rain. “I think it stems partly from the decision on Tuesday to do the two-hour delay, which obviously led to backlash by the parents. Partially, the reason why I think that MCPS made this decision is because the superintendent essentially wants to show off his initiative without actually caring about the students,” Yan said.
On the other hand, Dr. Kovacs also emphasized the trouble that unexpected changes to school operations cause for teachers as a possible reason. “It’s a double edged sword… the other part of the story is that teachers have to teach. We have to get through lesson plans. It’s great for the student side of things you get to have a little bit of a break. But on the teacher’s side of things, we still have to get through what we need to get through, and I think MCPS realizes that. They have to make teachers happy, make parents happy, and make students happy. And then you can’t have all three at all times,” Dr. Kovacs said.
Amidst the backlash, Superintendent Dr. Thomas W. Taylor issued a statement via email to students regarding the decision. “Thank you for showing up ready to learn today — winter is just beginning, so keep those hats, gloves, and warm coats ready. I have a funny feeling you’ll need them for a day off coming to you soon!” he wrote in the message.
When asked what future changes he would like to see from MCPS when making these types of decisions, Yan suggested a return to the school district’s priorities as outlined officially on their website. “I think MCPS should return to the traditional model of prioritizing safety and comfort for the people who go to a school over showing up, novelty, and initiatives,” he said.
However, Dr. Kovacs said he was overall satisfied with the decisions. “The only change I would like is to know a little bit earlier, but I think by and large they do the best that they can. So I don’t think any changes really need to be made.”
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