That's it. LPS's snow day budget has been spent. You all know what I think about that so I won't bother saying it.
However, a question came to mind this morning. And this is a serious inquiry, even though given my earlier comments about snow days it could be interpreted as snarky. It's 100% snark-free. Here it goes:
How many kids in Lincoln have suffered frostbite, hypothermia, or other cold-related calamities as a result of walking to or from school? I doubt such data are kept, but it sure would be nice if they were. Those data, if they exist, could help improve discussions about LPS's weather-related closings policy. Broader data about injuries, traffic incidents, and so forth would also be useful, both for "bad weather" days and good weather days. But again, I'd be surprised if such data exist in any useful form. A guy can hope, though.
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I’m really torn on this issue. I grew up in Minnesota and North Dakota, where I think weather in the winter was worse (I’m not going for the uphill to school both ways in snow this deep vibe). But I know we had more snow and more blowing snow, and temps were definitely colder. When we got snow in the fall, it was there until the spring thaw. But I don’t know if ever did I miss 5 days of school in one year.
However, I looked down the street today that I would have taken to get my daughter to school. We live 2-3 miles away, so walking is out for us. Kids have to cross Old Cheney, and where the sidewalk meets the road, the plows have been through but the sidewalks have not been cleaned. A kid would have to be on the street, or go over a 3-4 foot pile of plowed snow. In looking north up the street, sidewalks that had been shoveled or blown with a snow blower were at least 70% filled back in. This was at 8:35, right when the traffic to school is high. I know kids walk that route. I can see where it would be very dangerous, even without the -24 degree wind chill.
I wish I knew the right answer.
I think all of the kids that are out of school need to go over to Mr. Wilson’s house. He needs a hug this morning. 😉
I just heard that the Mayor is making the kids build the arena while they’re off from school.
Last fall the Mayor mumbled something about making Lincoln more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. That isn’t a policy or technology issue. Being a pedestrian-friendly city begins with the people of Lincoln.
Have *you* gotten out of your car to clear a path from one sidewalk across the street to another sidewalk?
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