Coldageddon II: After National Mockery For Canceling School On Day With 18 Degree Weather, Fairfax Orders Two Hour Delay For Wednesday

Clearly Fairfax County School officials do not watch our scientific polling. While our polls shows (at the time of this posting) over 94 percent of readers criticizing the decision to cancel classes over cold that ranged from 8 to 18 degrees, Just as a follow up . . . I was just notified that the Fairfax County officials have ordered a two-hour delay for the morning. That is a delay ordered for a day with a projected temperature of a low of 25 and high of 32. There is no snow or icy roads.

I will note again that the Arlington schools opened today after a slight delay and the Washington DC schools and Alexandria opened without a delay. These districts are all within the same ten mile radius.

At 6pm, the following message came through to parents:

A message from FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

All Fairfax County public schools will open two hours late on Wednesday, January 8. Offices will open on time.

Morning preschool (special education) classes are canceled.

Afternoon preschool (special education) classes start on their regular schedule.

Full-day preschool (special education) and Family and Early Childhood Education Program/Head Start classes start two hours later than the regular schedule.

Morning field trips are canceled.

SACC centers will be open by 7:15 a.m.

Morning transportation for high school academy classes is canceled. Afternoon transportation for academy classes will still be provided.

Adult and community education classes will start on time.

Weather delays and cancellations continue to be a bizarre controversy in Fairfax where parents are constantly left scratching their heads over these decisions, including some days with a light dusting of snow. These decisions are made with little apparent thought for the impact on families, particularly parents who have to show up to work late or miss work. It has little impact on my family because my teaching schedule allows me to take up any slack if Leslie cannot cover it. However, I can imagine the hardship for single parents and lower income families in rushing around to cover such changes.