Should/will schools open next week?

stripysocks85

What do people think?
Will schools open up next week?

I mean, if conditions don't change [in fact get worse in the East] then how can schools open when they did not open Thur/Fri of this week?

I don't know what current conditions are like around my school, but the Bus Eireanna route which goes on the road to my school has been cancelled. Surely then the private school buses which go this route will also be cancelled?

I think it is unfair to expect people to make the journey to places that are affected by the snow and ice. No area has had chance to let the snow/ice thaw out any bit, which means every bit of ice/snow is just compacting on top of what's already there.

All of this, added to the fact that there is not enough grit/salt and there was talk of cancelling some primary routes as a result next week.

I know I would prefer to have next week off and be safe, and make it up at Easter. That's just my opinion.

LB6

just been on the news that all 4000 schools both primary and secondary will be closed till at least thur next week and will be reviewed by the dept of ed next Tue

LadyMayBelle

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0108/educationweather.html

Friday, 8 January 2010 17:29
All national and secondary schools are to remain closed until Thursday 14 January, Minister for Education Batt O'Keefe announced this afternoon.

The decision was taken following a review of the weekend weather forecast at a meeting of the Government's Emergency Response Committee.

The Minister accepts that the closures will cause inconvenience but said the safety of student, teachers and parents was more important.

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The decision comes amid growing fears among school principals and boards of management about the impact of further severe weather on school communities. It will be widely welcomed by them.

Schools have been telling RTÉ News of strong health and safety concerns, centred on footpaths and roads in their wider areas.

A decision on whether Ireland's 4,000 schools will remain closed or re-opened later next week will be made following a review by the Committee at a meeting on Tuesday.

overmantle

At least there's certainty now as it was very difficult for everybody to know one way or the other. It was very hard on parents not knowing but also extremely difficult on schools being expected to make the decision, not knowing what the weather was going to bring in the next 24hours. There was also the added threat of having to make up the time at a time when schools had already advised parents that schools would be closed. I also spoke to principals of schools that had opened this week and they were very worried that their schools would be blamed if any accidents happened.

ShamoBuc

Anyone who had to drive a car today - at 8am ish ( not 1 or 2 pm ) will know that parts of most roads were dangerous with black ice being mentioned constantly on the radio. Given that the temperatures will be mostly freezing all through the weekend with heavy snow falling all over the country on Sunday and Monday, it was most certainly the correct decision. Anyone who thinks it was a bad decision either lives next door to a school or cannot drive!!

ShamoBuc

BaTT has just announed schools that can open will be allowed to tomorrow or Wednesday onwards. The temperatures are alot better now than they were thought they would be. Having said that parts of Kerry and Cork are still totally impassable. Also most estates where I live are extremely dangerous to drive on today, tomorrow is another story. I would expect most schools to be open on Wednesday but alot will still depend on whether they have water or not. I am into my fifth day without water at home and my class had no water on Friday - we had to share bathrooms with another class. I presume the BOM's will meet tonight - as they are at work now and make their decisions based on road and school conditions.