Not Letting School Out?

[windnrain]

Is this true? I have heard this rumor by several people on this board, and on television. If this is true, as someone who has stood through several hurricanes and tropical storms, including Katrina (50 miles SOUTH of New Orleans), I am honestly APPALLED at this! If it is true, that means that they are ignoring the fact that poverty exists, and those living in trailers and mobile homes could face serious damage or even death from possible 75 mph winds, should it come ashore as a hurricane, or from tornadoes! Let these people evacuate...

[gatorcane]

All I have to say is....if it is TRUE then

[bjacobs99]

Goldsboro...Wayne County NC....schools letting out at 1pm

[windnrain]

And remember, should it come with 75 mph winds, a strengthening storm with such forward speed should have gusts at around 85, even 90 miles per hour! This is not safe for children... >:(

[windnrain]

bjacobs... I personally think they should have canceled school, given the families a chance to fully prepare and make it to a storm shelter with all of their belongings.

[gatorcane]

just because Ernesto spared FL and somehow didnt strengthen as forecast doesn't mean to let your guard down....

[Shullate]

Brunswick Co. Schools closing early.. HS school student out at 1PM but here in
New Hanover County as of yet, no announcement of early closings....
My daughter just started kindergarten this week.

[windnrain]

This storm has been a nightmare to track, and has caused many headaches. If this hits as a hurricane, it will be a big blunder for the NHC and for the school system in South Carolina.. it's good to hear that they are letting out two hours early, but I just think that there was some poor decision making here...

[MyrtleBeachGal]

http://www3.hcs.k12.sc.us/

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com

Horry County schools ARE NOT closing early.

[bjacobs99]

Bladen Community College
Closing at 2:15PM
Submitted at: 10:36 AM EDT on Thursday, Aug 31

Our Lady of Lourdes Sch/Ral
Closed Friday
Submitted at: 10:29 AM EDT on Thursday, Aug 31

Wayne County Schools
Closing Early
Submitted at: 11:11 AM EDT on Thursday, Aug 31

Report Updated 08-31-2006 11:28..........From ...wral.com

[Josephine96]

at least down here they make the decisions about schools the day before the storm would have come on shore..

In defense of the school boards in SC/NC, I will say that this morning it was only a minimal TS, then 55 mph @ 8 am.. Maybe they believed it wouldn't reach cane status until tonight..

Also.. remember.. There is a weekend just hours away They won't have to cancel school for any days in the future {unless this thing does catastrophic damage}

Just my 2 cents that probably don't make much sense at all

[windnrain]

Man, though, Josephine.. here in Louisiana, we cancel schools with storms 2 days away heading in our general direction! I just think that they dropped the ball, and it is a very dangerous ball to drop... because this is the lives of children and the poor who now have to wait until, what, 2:15? 3:00? 3:30 for the schools that aren't closing and the parents that have to pick them up? To even START evacuating....

That's too late, if this comes on shore as a hurricane... and remember, the only reason that we don't lose many lives in strong TS's and weak hurricanes is because they are easy to evacuate from, and as long as the precautions are taken, loss of life can be safely avoided...

But it does not seem like they are taking this seriously.

[cycloneye]

The authorities of the school department should not haved opened the schools ALL DAY today period to let the familys prepare for anything that may bring Ernesto and also to mantain the kids safe.

[terstorm1012]

well during Floyd, many Pennsylvania school districts did not decide to let out until the waters and winds were already rising. and Floyd was pretty bad where I lived at the time.

we were lucky no school students were killed.

this is not uncommon.

[dgparent]

They are starting to close schools for Friday in Raleigh

[CajunMama]

As a parent, it is much easier to make preps without the kids around. Not good for the school personnel though. It also takes some time to coordinate the buses when you decide to let school out early.

[Josephine96]

Ok.. you may be right.. BTW... I meant to put the winking symbol not the laugh

Anyway..I also didn't think of something.. Lets say the MS or HS kids get out at 2:30-3.. I'm assuming they are.. but lets just say.. after school activities are NOT canceled. That means add at least another hr, maybe 2 hrs b4 they get picked up..

You're talkin about a 4 maybe even as late as 5-6 pm pickup.

I didn't think of that into the equation..

[windnrain]

And for all the people saying that they could not have known for sure that Ernesto would strengthen, when it comes to kids and peoples livelihoods, I say it's best to air on the side of caution... At least give these people some last mintue chances to board up and prepare. Having to deal with children at school takes away people's time for emergency preparation, and puts constraints in their ability to leave the area of danger if they decided to. Also, since schools are used as shelters many times, it seems obvious that they will be forcing people to drive in TS-strength wind, which, if you look at Florida, caused 3 casualties.

[jabber]

I think its just like here at work as long as we are not under a Hurricane Warning.... everything runs like a normal day. I am not saying this is right but it is what it is.

[shaggy]

cant blame anybody but ernesto if you would have told me lastnight that this storm was going to do what its doing right now i would have laughed but now we are looking at a possible hurricane moving at a fast forward motion and theres just no way anyone could have anticipated this scenario actually happening i know its always a coin toss with the tropics but you cant blame the school systems for a rapid intensification of the storm.