School employee and teachers unions show their clout again…
Loudoun and Prince William counties, two of the largest public-school districts in Virginia, are canceling school today due to snow – even though learning is virtually all at home due to COVID 19.
For Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), this is its first ‘Snow Day’ of the 2020-2021 school year. And it comes on the very same day that the school system made a return to 100 percent distance learning due to rising coronavirus case numbers in the Loudoun County community, WJLA reports.
According to the Washington Post, here is rundown of the districts in DC, Maryland and Virginia that are canceling school and those staying open:
Classes canceled
● Culpeper County Public School classes will be canceled Wednesday.
● Fauquier County Public Schools classes will be canceled Wednesday and Thursday. Teachers may post optional learning resources for students.
● Loudoun County Public Schools classes will be canceled Wednesday.
● Manassas City Public Schools classes will be canceled Wednesday.
● Manassas Park City Schools classes will be canceled Wednesday.
● Prince William County Public Schools classes will be canceled Wednesday.
Virtual classes:
● Alexandria City Public Schools will hold virtual learning for students on its regular schedule.
● Arlington Public Schools will hold virtual learning for all students Wednesday.
● Fairfax County Public Schools will hold synchronous virtual learning for all students Wednesday.
● Frederick County Public Schools will hold virtual instruction Wednesday.
● Montgomery County Public Schools will hold virtual learning as scheduled on Wednesday.
Fairfax County, to its credit, did not close the schools. It’s Virginia’s largest public school system, and has been criticized on Fox News on how its school board has buckled to teachers unions on the COVID issue.
If you were unaware, Loudoun and Prince William and many of the districts listed above are rural and cancel due to snow or threatened snow because it is difficult to get kids to school via bus (or even if parent drive) because rural roads are plowed last – if plowed at all.
Parents in Loudoun, where my kids attended LCPS 1st through 10th grade, gripe when schools are closed because of storm threats that never come. The school spokesman, Wayde Byard, makes the broadcast phone call and has become a celebrity
But if learning is pretty much all virtual, why are schools closing? Of course, the media prints the school district closing announcements without questions being asked
The Post previously reported: Distance learning may put snow days on thin ice. However, the power of the teachers and their union cannot be underestimated.
The Facebook discussion on the newspaper “Loudoun Now’s” FB page is worth reading.
Universally, teachers and their advocates are sounding off saying this was needed, while parents are in shock they have to spend the entire day (maybe even more days if this is a bad storm) with their kids when virtual learning should obviate the need for closing schools!
From a parent: interesting classes are canceled even though they are all remote… is LCPS expecting power to be out too?
From a school employee (or wife of one): Please remember the cafeteria workers and administrative staff are still reporting to school every day. Not all teachers are able to work from home. Loudoun has these snow days built into their calendar for a reason. It’s more than just DL learning. I’m glad everyone has a day off to enjoy the beautiful snow.Yet again, another ill side effect of these lockdowns. Kids are barely learning anyway remotely, but the teachers get yet another day off to get paid when learning is all remote. Astonishing!
(Loudoun County Public Schools have announced classes and distance learning will be canceled again tomorrow, Thursday December 17th.)
