I need some advice from you Loungers. Please read and advise!

[Danger Mouse]

Here's the issue. Last night, I attended the School Board meeting for my district. The reason was to register a complaint about the following actions taken by the school district:
1.) They gave the kids two days off in February using unused snow days...this was before winter had ended! Just because there hasn't been any snow doesn't mean there won't be! The result was...they ran out of snowdays when it finally decided to snow.
2.) Now desparate not to close the school for any reason, they were trying hard to keep it open even in bad weather. Now, last Friday, they had been predicting a big Nor'easter all week. The snow was to start at 10 am, and fall hard...6-16 inches worth of it! Most schools in the area closed right off the bat. Ours remained open...until 1:15 pm. Snow started right on schedule at 10 am. Guess the condition of the roads...that's right, they were lousy. Four busses were stuck, one had an accident. Thankfully, no children were hurt, but it could've been much worse. Naturally, I couldn't fathom this idiotic and irresponsible decision at all...
3.) As the final insult, our district was the ONLY ONE IN THE AREA to have a two hour delay the following Monday. Why? THEY HADN'T BOTHERED TO DIG THE BUSSES OUT. Are you kidding me? No, seriously, are you fuckin KIDDING me?

I was mad as hell, and registered my frustration with the School Board, but rather politely and calmly. Well, maybe I was too polite/calm. The superintendent of schools said she would address my concerns during her report.
What a joke. She basically told me I was 'wrong' for being upset with their decision, then proceeded to lie and say it started snowing at 11:45...NEARLY TWO HOURS AFTER IT ACTUALLY STARTED SNOWING. The difference is huge. She put busses on the road more than five hours after very snows had begun, and most roads weren't plowed. She did not apologize, nor did she take any real responsibility for her FOOLISH decision.
No explanation for why the busses weren't dug out, either. She just said 'the bus drivers discovered they could not move the busses because they were frozen in due to all of the snow.' I could've laughed at the stupidity of this remark, but chose not to. It was more pathetic than anything else.

This complete disregard for the safety of the children, and show of gross incompetence by the superintendent has got me seething. I don't want her to lose her job or anything, but I do think at the very least she should take responsibility for a grossly ill-informed mistake and issue a public apology.
I want to bring attention to this issue, but am considering two options:
1.) Starting a petition to demand a public apology and a guarantee that such a decision would not happen in the future.
2.) Writing letters to the local newspapers and publically calling out the super, demanding her apology.

What does everyone think? I've never done anything like this before, but I'm as mad as hell and I feel something needs to be done. They gambled with the safety of the children, and that is NEVER an acceptable risk. I don't have a child of my own, but my 10-year-old sister attends this school, and could've been hurt...her bus barely made it home in one piece.
So anyway, I ask for your advice, my friends. Is it a cause worth pursuing? Am I just overreacting? If you think this fight is worth it, what paths would you recommend?
Thanks for your help in advance! :hi:

[Book Lover]

1. Not advice per se,

but I'm in a rush, so this'll be quick. You are one sweet elder brother! I thank you for her for caring!

[idgiehkt]

2. I remember those days.

Wow. School admin stupidity. I think your plans sound like a good idea. They planned badly and then they took chances with the kids safety. It's great you care so much and are willing to do this stuff. :hi:

[Danger Mouse]

5. I wish I could count on more support from my mother in this,

but she's swamped with work and seems ragged out. I'm doing this not just for my sister, but for ALL the kids who were put at risk by this.
It just boggles the mind. How could they be so DUMB?

[fizzgig]

3. an ltte would be a good place to start

the same thing happened when we had our huge storm right before christmas. every other district in the area made the decision to close school the night before, but our district didn't until around 1:30 p.m., at least six hours after it started snowing. the roads were damn near impassable by the time the decision to close the schools was made. now i know that the weather in northern colorado can be unpredictable and we almost never believe anything the weatherman says, but they were calling for at least two feet of snow the night before the storm hit.

you better believe the superintendent got his ass reamed. the discussion board on the local paper's web site was out of control and the paper was barraged with letters for weeks after. people were so pissed off.

i'm willing to bet you are not the only one who feels this way about how things were handled and i don't think that is out of line in the least.

start by writing a letter to the editor and sending her a copy.

i'd be interested in knowing what the school board had to say about the situation.

[Danger Mouse]

4. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

They just sat there, a bunch of useless wimps.

[fizzgig]

6. that's horseshit

if your district is anything like ours (and i'm guessing it is), the board does not make the decisions but it's up to them to hold the superintendent accountable. i would include that point in any ltte you write

[Danger Mouse]

7. I will make that point. And I will not forget the Super's lie either.

The snow did NOT start at 11:45 am, it started almost exactly at 10:00 am, this is a HUGE deception meant to cover her ass.
It disgusts me.

[fizzgig]

8. it was unacceptable

for her to do that. i still can't get over the fact they burned those snow days, especially considering where you live.

[Danger Mouse]

9. They gave the kids a day off (Tuesday) this week.

The rumor is they were saving the last snow day for THIS, and hoarded it.
If this is true, it's even more disgusting.

[fizzgig]

11. sounds like they realy screwed the pooch on this one

i would be calling for some resignations

[Danger Mouse]

13. I don't want any heads to roll. I would be satisfied with a public apology

and an assurance that this would not happen again.
If she really digs in her heels, then maybe she isn't the right person for the job.

[Danger Mouse]

10. Wow. All of three people showed up to advise.

I'm overwhelmed by all the support :eyes:
Where's my loyal army of Losers when I need them?

[trof]

12. 1. You need some 'official' backup for when the snow began.

Otherwise it's 'he said, she said'.
Try and get some local TV/newspaper weather coverage or NOAA data to back up what you say.

2. If you CAN get the backup, put it in a letter to the supe. Ask for a response. Be polite and give her a week or so to respond. DO NOT set her a deadline. Just that you'd appreciate a timely response.

3. If the response is just more of the same CYA or not responsive to your complaint, THEN a letter to the editor. And to each member of the school board. Send them 'registered, return receipt requested' or whatever the current 'You SERIOUSLY need to respond to this' post office procedure is.

4. See if you can find others who share your concern.
Get them to write letters too.

Good luck.

[Danger Mouse]

15. Good advice, thank you.

I'll take it into consideration. :)

[MistressOverdone]

14. Get the press involved

and/or a petition. I'm a teacher. School districts don't like bad publicity.

[Danger Mouse]

16. Yeah, I'm going to talk to a few of my fellow citizens, too.

See what they feel we should do.
Hmmm...

[Connonym]

17. Sounds like some really stupid decisions on their part

WTF kind of moron decides in FEBRUARY that they won't need their snow days? You should try to find out what is written in the teachers' contract about unused snow days. I know the contracts where I live specify that stuff exactly. That wouldn't make it a smart thing but her hands would be tied if that was the case. That doesn't excuse the other bad judgement though.

I definitely think a LTTE is called for. If you know of other parents who agree with you it couldn't hurt to get more signatures. I'm not an expert on how to deal with these issues but I agree with you that it's unacceptable. Good for you for making a stand. I hope you'll let us know what happens.

[fizzgig]

18. oh yeah

you are really sweet to be concerned about your sister

[femmocrat]

19. There is nothing you can do about the snow days now, but for the future....

Next year's calendar will be drawn up NOW (at this time of the year). Two things that will get their attention:

1. Letters to the editor of the local newspaper.
2. An organized group of parents showing up at the school board meeting.

One parent making some noise won't get much attention. It takes a group. It doesn't have to be a large group, just an organized and vocal one. Give yourselves a name using a catchy anagram (?) like
"PISSED" (Parents Insisting School Schedules are Educationally Designed).... I just made that one up, but you get the idea! LOL

Good luck!