No school in Chicago because.......it's cold? (McHenry, Henry: low income, 2015)

[Tyryztoll]

We just moved to the area last March. Kinda surprised by this. Have they always shut down schools when the real cold hits? This IS Chicago, right?

Chicago Public Schools joins list of cold-weather closings - Chicago Tribune

[rzzzz]

It's supposed to be -40F windchill. Even in Minnesota they shut down when the windchill is that cold.

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by rzzzz

It's supposed to be -40F windchill. Even in Minnesota they shut down when the windchill is that cold.

Well, it's not -40. Matter of fact, it's not a whole lot colder today than it was yesterday when schools were open.

Btw Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science & Industry are free today because of the school closings, begging the question - if it's too cold to go to school isn't it too cold to go down to the lakefront to those spots?

[BornRaisedInSouthDetroit]

Im not in Chicago, but they close schools here for cold temps too but mostly because its too cold for kids that have to walk to/from or wait out at bus stops for extended periods of time. Another issue here too is building problems when its cold and a lot of schools that are overpopulated use the "mobile classrooms" and when the temps get this low esp with the winds it is soo hard to keep them warm enough, but im sure thats not an issue in most areas.

[Bellamouse]

I agree with you, Northerner. I grew up here, and when I was a kid, they NEVER closed the schools, for anything. Not massive snow, not cold, not anything. That said, I do have problems with my hands now because I think I got mild frost bite as a teenager walking to and from school without good gloves (my own stupidity of course!).

I think because more kids now are unsupervised than before (meaning they don't have good parents to make sure they get dressed warmly), or they're low income and simply don't own good warm clothing, that the school system caters more to that group and decides to just close the whole system when it reaches a certain threshhold. Supposedly it's -35 degrees.

But I agree - if you can't go out to go to school, how can you go down to the museums? Makes NO sense.

[Lookout Kid]

School is mandatory. Museums are not. It puts the choice in the hands of parents. Some kids have a journey to school that is more vulnerable to cold weather, some are dropped off from heated cars and picked up at the end of the day.

[Steve-o]

Schools never closed for cold when I was growing up, so why close em today? I had to wait for the bus in -30F weather, seemingly forever, in that kind of cold. I just think its the pussification of America.

[oakparkdude]

Unlike 50 years ago, there would probably be lawsuits today if a kid got frostbite or hypothermia.

[lycos679]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Schools never closed for cold when I was growing up, so why close em today? I had to wait for the bus in -30F weather, seemingly forever, in that kind of cold. I just think its the pussification of America.

Sure, ya did.

http://static5.businessinsider.com/i.../windchill.gif

[Tyryztoll]

McHenry (where we live) has closed tomorrow as well, and you can probably throw in Friday, too, because it won't be much above zero then, either. So basically, my kids are getting a 3 week Christmas break because it's really cold in Chicagoland in January.

Sorry, don't mean to be such a cynic, but we were all out & about today both up here and in Chicago, and it really wasn't that bad. Now if you're walking around with no gloves or head protection in temps like these......well, obviously there's going to be at least a few of those whose parents will be quick to blame the schools rather than their numbskull (pun intended) kids, so I suppose that's who they're worried about.