Brain dead school administrators- Closing early-tornado warning

[Wcross]

I can not believe these idiots running schools here in Tennessee. There are multiple districts closing early due to a line of storms approaching. I do not understand why they would want to move the children out of one of the safest structures in town and send them home to face the storms in their homes. Most homes in Tennessee do not have basements, many people live in mobile homes. I hope their parents will be able to leave work early to be there for them.
I can't imagine sending a young child home to fend for themselves.

[Dora]

1. Fear of liability trumps security. n/t

[Ian David]

2. Insurance and liability. They don't want to risk the kids dying under THEIR care.

Send them out to the trailer parks and let their lives be someone else's responsibility.

Insurance premiums are expensive for school districts.

[donsu]

3. agree with posts 1 and 2 -- money first, children last

nt

[Horse with no Name]

4. Personally as a parent

I would rather have my kids home with me.
I'd lay my body across them to protect them. I don't expect anyone at school will do that.:shrug:
But the parents should pick the kids up from school.
IF a parent can't get there to get their child, under NO circumstances should that child leave the school building on a bus or otherwise.

[Wcross]

6. I agree, IF the parents are able to get home.

An interior hallway at a school is one of the safest places to be during a storm (short of an underground shelter). I have no children but as a taxpayer, I would rather pay the additional insurance expense than risk one of the kids lives.
There will be a percentage of children who will be at home alone when the storm hits. I am not comfortable with that thought.

[goclark]

7. Most schools have a written understanding with the parents

in cases like this -- there is an Emergency Procedure. The sooner all parents are aware of the situation from the radio/tv, schools go into Emergency Procedure Mode.

Parents have the right to pick up their children at anytime,not just an emergency.

I would pick up my child if it was within my power but that's just me.

From a school point of view, the best that can happen is that the parents that are able to pick up their children and have them close, great!

That leaves a higher quality of care from the staff for those children staying in school.

Prayers for all those affected

[jedicord]

8. One of my worst memories of 9-11 was that my son's school was in lock-down.

I couldn't get to him, or ensure that he was alright.

Maybe a solution would be to allow the kids to stay there, if so desired by the parents. But the parents should be able to get their children.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Being separated during an emergency is every parent's nightmare :^(

I know I would want mine with me.

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. As a parent, I'd be much happier knowing they were huddled

between cinderblock walls rather than huddled under me in my trailer's bathtub.

[Wcross]

5. Couldn't they be sued for forcing them out into the storm?

I am sure a lawyer could argue that little Bubba Jones would still be alive if he had stayed at school.

[RC Quake]

11. I sure am glad they did in 1968...

when my 3 siblings & I were sent home. Every school and church were completely destroyed in the F5 that ripped through the town. Ironically though, the bars were all left in tact. It was bad enough that we couldn't locate our father, let alone the 4 of us kids missing also. The school is doing a good thing by sending the children home.

On May 15, 1968, a violent F5 tornado tore a 1/2 mile wide path through the town from south to north,killing 13 people, injuring over 1,000, destroying over 500 homes, 90 businesses, 8 churches and 3 schools.

Edited to change the year. I don't know why I always think it was in 1969. Anyway, the death count would have been much higher had the schools not sent the children home.

[jumpoffdaplanet]

12. Considering what's happened in Enterprise...

It probably isn't the bad idea I'd have thought it was before.

[greenbriar]

13. As a parent, I want my child home with me. As a teacher, I could not imagine

the nightmare of hundreds of children in a situation like that. Some woudl cry, some would flip out, some would try to run, some would not take it serious and would cause issues