That morning after I heard Giuliani's statement on the radio, I looked out my window and saw cars hardly able to get up my Queens street. Some were stuck in the same spot for over 10 minutes. Other cars found it necessary to back up the one-way street. Public transportation is worse, especially the buses.
I was upset with his statement about the dangers of traveling and warning people, except us, to stay home. We didn't even get a delayed opening! All private schools in NYC were closed which made his announcement even more insulting. He went on to say that schools had to open because their (the children's) parents had to get to work. Doesn't that turn us into a babysitting service? And didn't he just warn those parents to stay home?
Usually, I would try to make it in, but that day I stayed home. I don't like it when pols basically say "F-you" to teachers. And I was mad at our union for not fighting for us that day. They were trying to get our day back in our CAR and give an extra day to those that showed up, but lost that too.
Was it last year that the weather was so bad that it took teachers on Long Island over 3 hours to get home?
It's amazing how the safety of teachers who have to travel is never a factor. According to Klein, delayed openings do not apply to us.
Teachers are parents too and have to make emergency arrangements for their own kids.
I do not know if this is true, but I was told that the reason school closing announcements are made until 6am instead of the night before is because that's the time the bus companies and food delivery services make a decision. If they decide to run, schools are open.
Clusters and OTPs wind up taking the classes of the teachers who were not able to make it in.
Unfortunately, on those days, the well-behaved students stay home, and the discipline problems show up. Their parents are the lucky ones to get a "Snow Day".
I've also noticed that the delayed openings are never utilized, even on the worst of days. Only during the transit strike were they used.
You're absolutely right about difficulties for parents, as my daughter's school invariably closes on snow days. Thousands of my colleagues must be dealing with the same situation.
And while I can't remember the specific days, I've traveled for hours on the LIE to get home. It's part of the job, I suppose.
If you recall, when we had that delayed opening, Klein said teachers should report at our regular times. However Randi said we were entitled to a delayed opening too. So I reported at the delayed time.
The teachers that reported in at the regular time did not bother to check the UFT website or email Randi.
This is why most of us are turning into sheeps, because we do not question our rights.
Schools rarely close for weather here, though I must say that they keep the roads clear, not just the expressways but the mountain roads -- unlike in the midwest, where you're lucky if they have the roads salted by noon. Schools have been opening late here because of cold temps in the dark, and it's not unusual for schools to close for the first day of deer season.
I seem to remember the last snow day being in either December 2003 or January 2004.
Funny, but when I was a student, they once closed the schools because of incoming "Hurricane Gloria", which turned out to be very minor. I am always surprised at how hesitant they are to close the school, when the chances for accidents are so high. That's concern for safety for you.
I guess the bottom line is that, IMHO, you can not leave your personal safety up to some government official. There are more parents as registered voters than teachers. So we must think for ourselves and do what is best for us individually. If going in is, in your opinion, not worth an accident, frostbite, or under staffing -leaving you in a dangerous, liability situation, I say stay home. Schools are paid by attendance, and the powers that hold the purse strings, want every penny. We all know that children do not always come first, and teachers are always last. When travel was dangerous for my children I kept them home, regardless of what some politician said. My life, my children and my choice. We all have choices, if we choose to blindly give the decision power to others we should not complain. I, for one, am ready to build that snowman and throw some serious snowballs! Bring it on!
That was classic! We are having a snow day today. Sorry.
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