MCPS students push back against virtual learning snow days

The Montgomery County Board of Education approved virtual learning snow days in a 7-1 vote on Feb. 1, with SMOB Hana O’Looney serving as the only opposing vote. This decision came after the Board’s concerns over instructional make-up days at the end of the school year.

This winter, MCPS closed schools five times. Many students may recall that there were some days of missed instruction in which snow never actually falled from the sky. Thus, in order to medicate the potential costs associated with students missing school and add-ons to the school year over spring break or at the end of the year, this change was made.

Despite MCPS’s good intentions, many students have expressed a great deal of frustration over this decision. Snow days often serve as a time to unwind and catch up on assignments. The idea of missing out on sledding and cozy afternoons of movie watching and hot cocoa, has garnered a great deal of push-back from MCPS students—including 44th Student Member of the Board of Education, Hana O’Looney.

Though this plan has yet to be executed as no snow day has presented itself in the last few weeks, there were conversations among school administrators and teachers on the evening of Feb. 24 over what needed to ensue if a snow day were to happen the following morning.

“I think that snow days are essential for kids’ mental health. Snow days provide a needed break and a fun time with friends. And if we have Zoom instead of getting outside, kids are going to stay indoors all the time because they are already addicted to their phones and iPads,” Walter Johnson senior Gabi Rothschild said.

Rothschild’s frustration is far from an anomaly as many students and staff have expressed their disapproval of this sudden change in procedure.

“I think as a rule, children (and adults!) should have at least one or two snow days a year. — That feeling of waking up in the morning, realizing that the world is covered in snow and that your plans for the day have completely changed and instead of work and school, those plans may now include trudging through snow, sledding, and hot cocoa — that experience just belongs to the school year in winter, I think,” Walter Johnson teacher Dr. Katharina Matro said.

O’Looney has suggested that the BoE uphold the current snow day procedures. Though the year and a half of virtual learning that all MCPS students experienced definitely changed everyone’s perspective on what is possible through a computer, one day of missed instruction just doesn’t seem to be worth sacrificing a quintessential part of growing up in the eyes of so many throughout the county.

“It’s just adding more school days which is more stress for students. Last year, during in person school, it was very difficult for young children to focus on school work without parental attention all the time and parents have to work and during snow days some parents work from home or don’t have snow days so they aren’t able to help their child with their schoolwork and help them stay focused. Occasionally on snow days, some households lose power and if a child can’t join zoom, that would be their fault, and they would be marked absent for missing the lesson,” Wooton senior Shayna Kotler said.

Looking towards the future, some hope that this decision will be reversed and that the constant emphasis on productivity and results perpetuated by the leaders of this county lessens.

“Kids just need to be kids and taking away snow days takes away a part of their childhood,” Rothschild said.

Article by Ruby Toplian of Walter Johnson High School

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

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