You can't have kids walking to school if the sidewalks aren't plowed... Nor can you have buses picking up and dropping off if the roads aren't safe.

The city isn't made of money and snow removal is expensive.

Methinks the original poster must be new in town.

it's lucky, then, that few kids have to make that trek--seems a bit beside the point, innit?

Dude, I'm old in town by this point. Why do we need the city to do everything for us? People are required to clear the sidewalk in front of their houses. A lot of kids live close to school. People in Canada and Russia and Northern Europe don't sit at home when a bit of snow falls. What is with this city?

I'm a teacher and over half of my class takes the bus to school. The rest come by car or walk, which isn't easy to do when the sidewalks are covered in snow. Also, many teachers don't live in New Haven and the commute is a challenge for them in inclement weather.

Last figures I saw were that 16,000 out of 19,000 public school students ride buses to school. Have you ever tried at 7 am or 8:30 to stand in a safe place with a child in snow, to wait for a bus?

Original poster here: thanks to everyone who's responded so far. Let me clarify a few things: 1) I've lived in New Haven for almost a decade, so I know what one can expect come winter. 2) I'm familiar with many of the obstacles that snow storms bring with them: teachers who live out of town can't get to school, buses can't run, kids have to walk on unplowed streets and sidewalks, etc.

Even so, I thought this might be a good place to talk about the fact that schools close very often in New Haven. 2 of the biggest school districts in the U.S., NYC and Chicago, have a policy of keeping schools often as often as possible (barring days with subzero temperatures). Not everyone is happy about that policy. But that policy is a fact in these places, something to rely on.

I'm trying to think about this problem going forward. Winters are likely to be this way in the coming years. Is Jan and Feb going to be totally unpredictable months for parents with school age kids? Is is necessary to cancel every and all public schools on days when it snows? Might there be contingency plans worked out--a snow route for school buses (large roads are often made passable no matter the conditions), or, barring the safe operation of buses, a number of neighborhood schools that are open despite the conditions? Could there be a better policy of delayed openings?

Today was a bad day out: I walked through town to get to work and it was not pleasant. But of all the snow days so far, we don't have white-outs everytime. Sometimes the outlook is bad and the city cancels school a day ahead (like tomorrow, for instance); sometimes these decisions turn out to be unnecessary. A lot of parents, I think, will come to feel that way tomorrow.

Superintendent Harries wrote a letter the other day which stated that the safety of the students comes first, last, and always. I applaud that. How could one not? Then again, is this spoken from a fear of lawsuits? It is easy to get this sense. Ask a parent--like you, Radimom--whether they might brave the snow for a delayed opening (maybe by walking? if you're not in a magnet school, it can't be far from home, although I'm sure you could name a lot of exceptions from the rule) or whether they want to scramble for ways to deal with a lost workday and more. I know what my answer would be.

Schools in town close way too often. You might disagree, and that's your right. You might point out--like Gauss did--some little thing in my original post that rings wrong to you. For my own part, talking to parents in my area as well as parents far outside my neighborhood, I think there is a real dissatisfaction with how these decisions are made.

Old in town... lols. In East Rock, that's what, 2 semesters?

Most kids in this town don't go to neighborhood schools a block or two away from their homes.

The thousands of students who attend Cross and Hillhouse come from all over the city.

Where to begin? No, you can't walk across town in a half hour. No, most of the districts students do not attend schools within walking distance of their homes. As has been reported in NHI, the city f'd up cleanup from the last storm, f'd up the parking ban for this one, and now we have streets that plows are backing out of because they can't get through. News flash: If a plow can't get through, neither can a school bus. Particularly if said street is unplowed. And it's a near-run thing even when plowing happens. My kids were in a bus accident last storm. Minor, but still.....

On the other hand, the ' teachers commute in from wherever' argument is complete BS. If you commit to a job, you commit to getting there every day, just like the rest of the entire world. Snow days are a bonus for us, not an entitlement or a right.

Having said that, given the lack of a professional city administration and a coherent snow policy, canceling school is the right call whenever there's a risk to students. I had a student break his leg in three places a while back while he was walking to school after an ice storm when there was a delay but no cancellation. He got hypothermia lying on the ground waiting for the ambulance that was held up by conditions.

Also.....fact check: I work in a regional school so I know NHPS has cancelled school far less that other districts this year.

No. We are not located in an especially inhospitable climate. Which is exactly why we have to be more careful when conditions become inhospitable.

Also, this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/10/snow-days-dont-hurt-student-achievement-study-says/

I think the main issue is the fact that students aren't going to schools within walking distance, and that these "schools of choice" disproportionately benefit those who have parents savvy and interested enough to navigate the system. I attended Hooker and Cross. At Hooker many students were from East Rock, but there were also some from Newhallville and other city neighborhoods. Many of us walked, or at least could have if need be. At Cross, many of my classmates were from Westville. Why, when Hillhouse is clearly the closer, potentially walkable option, were these students (mostly white) all granted admission to a school across town? Remember, all schools are supposed to be offering an equal, and not separate education. Look at the racial make ups of Hillhouse and Cross and then ask that question again.

The city could save so much money and really benefit everyone if they created walking buses for all those who lived about a 30 minute walk a way from their school (about a mile and a half). High school students could be given city bus vouchers, which will hopefully still run somewhat during storms, retain some busses for those who really live far out and have disabilities, but encourage people to attend schools closest to them. Perhaps create more part day magnets similar to ECA, and encourage more walking around the city and using its resources (from what I've heard walking field trips are discouraged).

Sorry for the tangent. I love snow days, but I see colleagues with young children have to scramble at the last minute to find child care, or take a day off work. Some snow days (today, for example) are warranted. However, walking could be a much safer option and encourage a sense of community, encourage people to clear their sidewalks, and allow kids a little fun in the snow on their way to a warm school with meals and caring adults.

We are trying to delineate issues that are current and need the city's attention to resolve. If your issue remains and needs to be addressed by the city, please either re-open or open as a new See Click Fix issue. Thank you.

For future conversations please post to Neighborhood News.