CLEVELAND, Ohio (WJW) - The Cleveland Metropolitan School District remained open Thursday despite a lake-effect snow warning, and that sparked questions from parents and teachers about how the district reached that decision.
Parents and teachers reached out to Fox 8 News via email and many more comments could be found on social media.
One such parent is Alesandra Bell, who told Fox 8 her kids' bus picked them up and later dropped them off. Bell said the driver told her that many drivers refused to drive in the current conditions.
A CMSD teacher, who wished to remain anonymous to avoid repercussions, told Fox 8 via email that many teachers turned around on their way to work due to the poor conditions. They said many students waited for busses that never came and only about 20% of students were at school on Thursday.
Bell said that issues with these types of decisions and transportation provided by CMSD have been mounting up for her.
"They should take the safety of not only their students, but their staff and their bus drivers, more seriously. It feels like, as a parent, I'm watching these things happen and they're not taking safety seriously because if they were they would've closed at 5:30 in the morning like most schools around them did," she said. "And I get that sometimes they think about the kids that don't have meals at home. A lot of the time they stay open for that kind of stuff, but at what point do you say to yourself 'Well, it's more of a detriment to them to get there to get these meals than it is to just stay home and be safe and warm."
Fox 8 requested an interview with a district spokesperson about the decision process to cancel or not.
The district's communications officer, Candice Grose, sent the following statement:
"Deciding whether to close schools due to inclement weather is a complex process that prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students, families, and staff. Yesterday, we issued a statement indicating that schools would remain open today, providing families with as much time as possible to plan accordingly.
Our district has a detailed protocol in place for monitoring weather conditions. This includes close collaboration with the city, neighboring school districts, and key internal departments like Operations and Talent to ensure we have the most up-to-date information.
Since early this morning, our teams have been on the ground surveying school buildings and surrounding areas to assess conditions firsthand. We continue to monitor developments throughout the day, making decisions about after-school programs and other activities that could be impacted by changing weather conditions. We remain committed to clear and timely communication and appreciate the patience and understanding of our families and staff as we navigate these decisions."
On Thursday, the city of Cleveland operated on a delay and opened city hall later than normal. Nearby districts like East Cleveland and Euclid closed, although Rocky River did remain open.
Fox 8 News also reached out to the Cleveland Teachers Union and received a statement from union president Shari Obrenski:
"Thousands of CMSD parents had to make the difficult choice to either keep their children home, or send them out to walk or catch their bus facing bitter cold, gusting winds, and blowing snow. Teachers and other employees also had to make the decision to risk driving in these conditions, or to stay safely at home. Hundreds of other school districts, government offices, and public and private companies closed or delayed opening, saving their parents, students, employees, clients, and customers from having to make that choice. We hope that moving forward CMSD leadership will follow suit."
Grose sent a statement to Fox 8 News Thursday afternoon saying,
"The District has been made aware of reports that some buses did not arrive, and in some cases, students were returned to their pickup locations. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and disruption this has caused to students and their families.
Our team uses a bus trip tracker system to monitor routes in real time, and we have identified the drivers and routes involved in these incidents. Ensuring reliable and safe transportation for our scholars is a top priority, and we take these matters seriously. Please rest assured that these issues are being addressed directly with the individuals responsible.