Low Temps and Closing Schools

Cold weather hit the east coast and closed schools at –30 degrees this past week.

If that were the case for North Dakota and Minnesota, schools would be closed quite a bit. But how cold is too cold to keep kids out of class?

West Fargo School Superintendent David Flowers said, “When it gets to 45–50 degrees below zero, then we consider closing school. That’s a combination of ambient temperature and wind chill.”

Fargo schools don’t have a set temperature to shut down schools and Moorhead’s schools will close their doors at a dangerous –60 degrees. Some parent’s think they should be closed at least at –30.

Although Taylor Witte son isn’t old enough for school yet she said,”I think they should be closed, there are kids out there that don’t have the winter gear that they need to keep them warm and waiting for buses and everything.”

While waiting at the stop one student says it’s no fun standing in bone chilling weather.

Tylar Cox who attends middle school in Fargo said, “I always have to wait in the cold and bus drivers are sometimes late and then I’m late for school.”

Other parents say that we live in a cold region, and should expect nothing less.

Jacob Thompson who has two children and one on the way said, “I think temperature shouldn’t affect much of schools opening and closings, it’s part of the terrain.”

With no sign of –45 degree weather in our near future, students here in the region will just have to bundle up and bear the cold.

Superintendent Flowers also said that other factors like snow and ice also contribute to the closing of school.