WI school dist. cancels classes due to potential severe wx outbreak

[Brian Emfinger]

Well looking at todays storm reports looks like there were 2 tornadoes within 20 miles of Steven's Point, WI.

"the EM claims that two discrete supercells will move into their area at 1pm tomorrow."

That guy is some forecaster! <SARCASM!

 

[rdale]

I'm sure all the parents who had to scramble for babysitters so their kids could stay home and play all day are glad to hear that a tornado hit 20 miles away ;>

They already pushed the school year back until late next week because of excessive snow days, looks like they just tacked on another.

 

[Justin E. Reed]

They didn't close the schools, but they started letting them out by 11am. It basically followed the storm motions, from west to east, so as the storms approached like a couple of counties over, they let them out. Davidson County was getting ready to dismiss when the N. Nashville-Hendersonville-Gallatin tornado touched down, delaying that promptly. But all schools from Murfreesboro and all counties north and west were out by 1pm.

 

[Kevin Bowman]

They didn't close the schools, but they started letting them out by 11am. It basically followed the storm motions, from west to east, so as the storms approached like a couple of counties over, they let them out. Davidson County was getting ready to dismiss when the N. Nashville-Hendersonville-Gallatin tornado touched down, delaying that promptly. But all schools from Murfreesboro and all counties north and west were out by 1pm.

because letting a school filled with kids out is the smartest thing to do with storms that close and the movement that fast. id pay for private school next year if i were the parents

 

[Justin E. Reed]

Of course, all we have to look at is Coffee Co. Alabama's Enterprise H.S.
My cousin was there and got scrapes and bruises and his truck was carried 1/4 mile away. They attempted to let them out at 1030, but SVR STORM WARNING was issued, so, they said 1230, no luck with a tornado warnins issued. Then, they decided on 100, and all was well and a few students tried to leave early, but came running back inside and then hell came over the ridge and lord, we saw what happened next! Students literally were screaming as they ran from the lot back inside" ITS COMING, OMG THE TORNADO IS COMING! It's an unfortunate case that reveals even schools can only take so much before failure happens at some point in the structure. In conclusion, there is no safe place in a tornado, all buildings are vulnerable, but keeping students at school is a hard decision on the school district administrators, it all comes down to how to keep the kids safe, its all about the kids.

 

[rdale]

It's not a hard decision at all. It's safer for kids to be in schools, supervised, during a tornado - than sent to a home that may be locked, and is likely without parents, when a tornado is coming. But it makes it easier on their PR department because "2 kids killed in their home" sounds better than "2 kids killed in school."

 

[Justin E. Reed]

That's incorrect in my mind. At school, parents think its the safest place in the world from the elements. NOT SO MUCH, as Enterprise prooved. No place is safe, Killed at home or at school, either way its a bad thing, but at school sounds worse due to the fact, its a freckin school. Better than on the way home though.

 

[Bill Doms]

When I came through Marshfield WI yesterday, I noticed all the buses were being held at the highschool and were just leaving as the torn threat had passed (about the same time Wisconsin Rapids got hit) off to the east.

Here is a screen capture as the second of the sups passed over STE yesterday.

Almost a self-fulfilling prophecy if this would have dropped a torn. the other thing to consider is how rural a lot of this area is and as we all know, the visibility leaves a little to be desired. So they hold school, dismiss and the rural bus routes are just finishing up. I wonder if the EM is going to run for mayor next?

 

[Terry Tyler]

If they were in the process of sending them into the storm, as Enterprise was doing, then yes I would bring it up. I would rather my kids be at school, supervised, in a shelter during a tornado than sitting on a front porch somewhere by themselves. You can't always be home every time school closes.

i strongly agree...i would feel safer in a concrete-renforced steel school than in my house...i also agree that it is more of a liabitily issue, but think about it...it doesnt matter where you are...at school, or walmart or even at the house...if a tornado is going to strike the area...there is simply nothing you can do about it...and you cant really hold any one person responsible for a tornado taking lives...

are school closures a good thing during severe weather? i dont think so...some people feel more secure in the comfort of their own homes...i think this is one of those issues that school administrators an EM personel deal with and nothing we say will effect it...

 

[mike scantlin]

im not saying that homes are more sturdy than schools. im not an idiot. im saying that if you try to make a bunch of high schoolers take shelter in an orderly fashion, you would get close to nowhere. it would be total chaos. i would rather have my kids stay home, and make sure they know how dangerous it could be that day, and to listen to the radio. and i would call them if they were in danger. i'm talking about high schoolers here.