Philadelphia School District Defends Decision To Close

February 22, 2011 2:08 PM

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It has happened several times this school year already — Philadelphia Public Schools are closed — while their counterparts in the suburbs are open on a two hour delay.

Why is this the case? Is the city’s budget crunch to blame?

Students who attend the city’s Public and Parochial schools didn’t have school again Tuesday, although schools in the northern and western suburbs were open for the most part.

“I think that it is definitely a question that will come up when you see some schools opening two hours late and some schools closing, but you have to look at the city scape. The challenges of the streets, the cars that parked and the amount of buses we have to put out on the streets,” School District spokesperson Fernando Gallard said.

Gallard says city officials have to clear miles and miles of urban streets and sidewalks in order for the children to safely travel to school.

“I know that later on today (Tuesday), the roads will certainly be in much better condition and everyone will be wondering why didn’t they have school today. But if you were out at 6-7 o’clock this morning, it was a slightly different situation out there,” Mayor Michael Nutter said.

Nutter expects schools to be open Wednesday.

Reported By Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio; Dray Clark, CBS Philly

Philadelphia School District Defends Decision To Close

JeeperJoe

The wussification of America
sportsnut2010

@ Anne Frankenstein February 22, 2011 at 4:17pm: Just because you don’t care about your children (if you have any) doesn’t mean others shouldn’t. Just this morning I saw a man almost slide off the sidewalk right under the wheels of an oncoming bus. Had he not grabbed that pole he probably would not be here. So, yes, people SHOULD care about their kids.
Patricia Collier

later on in the day is usually when the weather makes the decision look unnecessary but early in the morning most bus drivers have to get to the bus yard first, then hope that the bus will start, and you must also keep in mind the condition of the snow that is in the yard this is all before they get on the street. Other driver are extremely inconsiderate of buses in the snow they do not realize how difficult it is to steer and turn on dry land, so it is worst with snow, ice , and cars parked in crazy places.
Anne Frankenstein

People care about children way to much, let them have some adventure.
NS

There was absolutely no reason to close the schools today, NONE! We’re creating a generation of lazy, spoiled, and whiny children who will not be able to function as adults because they can’t deal with adversity. Enough of the phony “safety” excuses; this is real life; suck it up and deal with it!
City Taxpayer

The kids should have been in school today.
Liz

They are better safe than sorry!
JJJ

whimps.. we’re raising a bunch of whimps whimpy parents, whimpy administrators, whimpy kids. doesn’t bode well for the future of this country
Anonymous

I agree, it was very dangerous out there this morning. If I had school aged children, I probably would have kept them home today. I saw 3 vehicles in near accidents this morning on my way to work. 1 fishtailed for a few feet and 2 slid to a stop, 1 nearly hitting the vehicle in front of him stopped at the red light. And we were all going respectively slow, so no speed was involved in the near misses. But, yes, I would not have sent any children to school today. Just too messy and dangerous.