It's A Snowflake...shut Things!

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cdxvdyzv5nvt

When did we get this soft? I don't remember ever having a day off school because of the weather, ever! Even when the heating broke we had lessons in our coats. Now it's armaggeddon every time there's a few snowflakes. When did we become such snowflakes?

[davebro3]

sometime in the 90s I think...

[-SharonA-]

My school never shut. Even when the buses stopped due to heavy snow, we walked all the way!!!

[Old_Geezer]

Had snowflakes here.

 

I was under the impression that the North was going to keep them to themselves !

[ToraToraTora]

10:22 yep I can can remember trudging through the snow many times. I remember our physics teacher comming in on Skis like a cross country skier. He was a keen skier and used to run the annual skiing trip.

[pastafreak]

On the other side of the pond I can remember we had occasional snow days. Usually after...or during...a blizzard. Snow was banked up halfway up the side of our house...often covering the front and back doors. School was walking distance, but I assume it was because teachers couldn't get in across the whole school district. 

[barry1010]

Ever since parents started suing schools. It's simply litigation avoidance 

[nicebloke1]

I'll answer this question, the same as I answered the same question last year the year before, and the year before that. 

First off lots of kids dont attened the school that may be local to them, years ago all kids did.

Neither do teachers live and work at schools that may be local to them, nearly all rely on cars to get from A to b, thats where the main problem is. 

Many moons ago  teachers were able to walk to school like the kids because they were all local. If all teachers and kids could not make it schools would just manage with what teachers turned up, reducing planned lessons and maybe closing a little early if weather got worse. The same was repeated the next day. Hope this helps again.

[ToraToraTora]

10:53 those are all personal choices, it's their responsibility to get to work/school, end of.

[nicebloke1]

I didnt think it would help. Again.

[ToraToraTora]

NB: I get what you are saying but it's the job of the employee/pupil to get in. My employers never said have the day off because you don't live local when a bit of weather hits.

[nicebloke1]

I knew the penny wouldn't drop. Oh, by the way, no one is telling anyone to have the day off. Stop making situations up.

[ToraToraTora]

it has dropped I get what you are saying but I do not accept it. You won't find any private sector employers closing down for the weather. Teachers/pupils can live where they like it's still up to them to get in to work/school.

[davebro3]

I lived a bus ride from my school & many of the teachers drove in to work. I don't recall it ever closing for bad weather, 1958 through 1965. And there were harder winters then than we are getting now.

[nicebloke1]

Private sector also suffer. Its a cracking excuse for mom and dad to phone there boss saying they have to look after their kids today due to no school, even if the scool is open. :•))

[ToraToraTora]

11:22 perhaps but they'll lose pay or have to use holiday.

[nicebloke1]

Well I've done my best, (again) to educate you in this matter, I'm unable to offer any advanced lessons, plus the weather is getting worse so will have close school early. I shall however recomend that you be transfered to the special needs class on my return. :○)

[ToraToraTora]

don't be a prat, you know what I'm saying.

[nicebloke1]

Before attening SN can you report to the headmasters office first. Thks

[Electrochem]

When I was at school, back ion the days when Pontius was a pilot. we rarely had a day off because of bad weather. However, all our teachers lived within walkig distance of the school. Now, many teachers live 20 miles plus from the school. If the school is closed because of bad weather, they have to make the day up.

I used to work 35 miles from home and at times the weather was atrocious. I always managed to get in, but there were others who lived in areas where the roads became closed due to snow. If they didn't get to work, they had to take unpaid leave or use some of their holiday allowance. This was in the private sector.

It's not as simple as it was years ago.

[New Judge]

"Hope this helps again."

Sorry to impose even further disappointment, but no, it doesn’t really. Most of your arguments don’t stand scrutiny, nb.

“First off lots of kids dont attened the school that may be local to them, years ago all kids did.”

My school was in central London. Few pupils lived nearby and most needed a bus or train to get to school. I needed two buses or one bus and a lengthy walk.

“Neither do teachers live and work at schools that may be local to them, nearly all rely on cars to get from A to b, thats where the main problem is.”

My form master lived in Pangbourne in Berkshire – forty miles from London. He reminded me of that every time I was late and impressed on me that he never was, even though his journey was ten times the length of mine. The headmaster lived in Totteridge – ten miles out. One teacher lived in Haywards Heath in Sussex. None of the teachers as far as I know lived locally. The school had a small car park solely for them and it was full every day.

In the winter of 1962/63 it first snowed on Boxing Day. Daytime temperatures barely exceeded freezing for all of January and February, apart from a very brief spell of no more than a couple of days towards the end of January. The snow remained (being added to considerably) and did not disappear until early March.

During this entire spell my school never closed. Almost everybody – pupils and teachers – made it in every day. Sport continued. Although I did not play football (I was a rower) my pals who did told me they could have played ice hockey on the playing fields. My rowing continued uninterrupted. Although the Thames did freeze in some of its upper reaches, it was fine where it is tidal (below Teddington). We were simply advised to wear an extra layer.

It simply did not cross our minds that schools would close because of the weather, certainly not in southern England. My school was not unique. None of my friends who atttended other schools reported any closures. I appreciate it may be more difficult in other parts of the country – especially in rural areas. But I still live in the south in a very urban area, yet schools here close at the drop of a hat (or a few snowflakes). 

People from other countries cannot believe this. I was once in Cuba and lots of Canadians visit that country (it’s only a four hour flight for those from the south of the country). On one occasion a number of them who had expected to return home were held at the hotel for an extra day. Talking to them I discovered that Montreal airport had seen four feet of snow the previous day. “I suppose you’ll be stuck here in the sun for quite some time then.”  “Oh no”, they said, “They’ll have the airport up and running again later today. I spoke to the folks back home and all the main roads are cleared, the city is working near enough normally. They said our flight will probably leave later this afternoon.”

This country simply has neither the will nor the inclination to get stuck in and sort things out. Far easier to just close everything down.