Snow, Wind, and Blowhards...

Our recent weather and lunacy of an area school superintendent has prompted me to come out from hiding. Although I was captured by aliens (the tests aren’t as bad as everybody makes them out to be), I am back and kickin’. Whatever that means…

Although Central Illinois can’t compete with areas of New York under 10 feet of snow, we had a decent snow storm today (and last night). It wasn’t so much the 12-15” of snow as it is the 30-40mph winds… the weather gurus call that a blizzard I guess. So… here is the break down for closings tomorrow (did I mention that the city of Decatur pulled their snow plows off the roads today until midnight because the roads were too dangerous?):

Nearly every school district from Springfield to Danville is closed… Nearly. The Decatur YMCA is closed now and until noon tomorrow. My office is (and has been) closed. Nearly every restaurant in Decatur is closed. AND the 2 Decatur Wal-Marts are closed until 6:00pm tomorrow.

But (and believe me this is a BIG BUTT), the Decatur Public Schools are determined to make it as difficult on parents as possible. While every other school district considers that many parents may still need to go to work and will have to make arrangements for their children, Decatur Schools don’t think that is necessary. Did I mention earlier that the plows have not been out all day? Did I mention that there are cars stranded in the middle of many roads? Maybe the super doesn’t know that. Maybe the super lives under a rock.

As a result, maybe the superintendent should be preparing for the press conference tomorrow night. Here is an excerpt (remember, this is fictitious and you have to use your imagination for the questions):

Superintendent: “Well, I do understand that almost every business in Decatur was closed, but education is important. Yes, yes, I understand the concerns about the 12 overturned busses, but you have to understand we are very concerned about education”

Superintendent: “I know that only 12 kids made it to the school grounds safely, but education you know.”

Superintendent: “Yes, it is true that 2 of the kids were lost in a snow drift... and 4 others slipped and fell and had to be taken to the hospital. But we were able to perform real education for those 6 kids”

Superintendent: “Who were the teachers? Well, Mr. Sampson, the physical education teacher, had a quality day of kickball and dodge ball with those 6 1st graders... the education they received was invaluable”

Well… I guess I will have more worthless, and less snowbound, words later…