Editorial
Editorials belong in magazines and newspapers. They are meant to inform and entertain, and often do so by being laid back and full of witty sarcasm. They are opinionated pieces and are guaranteed to evoke emotion from the reader. Feel free to agree or disagree with the following ideas; the worst thing you could do is remain neutral.
The chances of the TDSB cancelling school are as high as the chances of seeing a panda taking a stroll on the street. Severe weather school closures are every student’s best memory of winter. Having that unexpected surprise of a snow day, going outside to play in the frozen wonderland, or simply relaxing indoors with an exciting book – these times are rare in Toronto.
I have a friend who lives in Richmond Hill. She is part of the YRDSB and gets about three snow days per winter. So why can’t the TDSB do the same?
In 2008, the TDSB made a drastic decision on its part and ended schools early. It was a cold windy day with snow piled up to peoples’ knees and blizzards gusting all over the city. According to Global News, even some universities got cancelled. However, classes remained open in the TDSB because one school day was too much to spare for something insignificant like safety. But as the weather deteriorated, the right decision to close schools was made at last.
A Global News report states that until the half day cancellation in 2008, the TDSB hasn’t given a snow day since the 1999 snow emergency. Therefore, it’s half of a snow day per nine years in the TDSB versus three snow days per winter elsewhere.
Schools are supposed to close in case of severe weather conditions, so why can’t the TDSB follow this rule without being stubborn? While living in Toronto, I can recall many good, but wasted opportunities for school cancellations. According to Barry Hertz of the National Post, Toronto received a record-breaking amount of snow in one snowfall in 2007, where the white stuff reached between 30 to 50 centimetres. In the same news article, OPP’s Constable Dave Woodford says, “We have snow days at school for a reason. This is one of those days where everyone should have just taken a snow day.” However, that clearly didn’t happen.
The only cause for the lack of school cancellations I can think of is that finding baby sitters on short notice can be tricky for parents. But, I strongly believe that this is no valid excuse for making kids go to school in dangerous conditions. The slippery snowy roads and poor visibility make the commute so much more unsafe for both students and staff. No good parent would refuse to take a little initiative to find a babysitter if that ensured the child’s well-being. So why is the TDSB so unreasonable when it comes to severe weather and protecting its students? It’s a mystery.
