Schools

Heated Tweets Hurled at MCPS For Not Cancelling School Despite Freezing Temps

Speak out: Do you think MCPS made the right call?

Updated 4 p.m.—Too cool for school? Not in Montgomery County, which was a problem for some parents and students who took issue with the MCPS decision not to cancel school despite below-zero weather.

Montgomery County Public Schools were closed last week as an arctic punch left much of the East Coast frozen. 

"We closed because there was snow and ice on the ground, not because it was cold," Montgomery County PUblic Schools spokesman Dana Tofig said in an email to Patch. Tofig was responding to an earlier version of this story that stated MCPS had closed because it was cold.

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Tuesday’s high temperatures were projected to reach 14 degrees, with a wind chills as low as -9, the effects of an arctic punch freezing the eastern two thirds of the country, according to the National Weather Service.

Tofig Tweeted Tuesday morning that Captain James E. Daly Elementary School, Jackson Road Elementary School, White Oak Middle School, and Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School "had to close early [Tuesday] due to weather-related issues."

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But there were no mass cancellations this week, despite the cold.

And this left some parents fuming on social media, with parents and students Tweeted their grievances directly to Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua P. Starr.

We’ve compiled this list of the more colorful tweets (if you’re having trouble viewing them, you can check out our Storify here)

While some of the Tweets were tongue-and-cheek—like one the Twitter user who posted what on first blush looked like a movie poster for the Disney film “Frozen,” but with a list of public high schools in Montgomery County.

Then there were Tweets were from unnerved parents, many echoing what was in Twitter user @SEScheiner’s post:

“As an MCPC alumna and parent of 3 MCPS students, I couldn't be more disappointed. Shameful decision.”

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>>> Speak Out: Do you think it was wise for Montgomery County Public Schools not to close Tuesday, despite biting cold temperatures?


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