" Nice swipe at Douglas/Sarpy county schools, LJS. I think that OPS and surrounding communities made the right call, and LPS blew it. Talk to any of the parents (except those who view the school system as free daycare) and you'll quickly find out that closing schools is the right call when a fresh snow pack, dangerous wind chills, and sheets of ice under the snow all converge. "

" The only question I have is regarding the "snow days" built into the school year. Since LPS refuses to use any of these days, do the kids get them back at the end of the year? If not, take the days back out of the calendar since the decision on whether or not the kids go to school rests solely with the parents and LPS wants to be left out of the picture. "

" LPS not closing was just another example of Lincolns ignorance of officals to lead this city. "

" Whoever wrote this editorial did not see any of the car accidents along Vine Street that morning. It should not be the parents responsibility to decide to keep their children at home versus complying with the LPS version of the skating zone. "

" Just because you have them doesn't mean you have to use them!!!!!!!!!!! "

" LPS dropped the ball. I heard that a number of parents called schools calming that their children were sick, when actually the parents couldn't/wouldn't pull out of the driveway due to the poor driving conditions. "

" Don’t most parents think of the school as free daycare? Seems like the whiners on here sure do. Parents need to start taking responsibility for the brats they bring into the world and quit blaming the schools. You don’t want the precious little things out then keep them home. Simple concept but seems like most on here just can’t grasp simple things. "

" I'm a parent that doesn't "view the school system as free daycare", and I think LPS made the right call. This was nothing compared to winters 5+ years ago. In my opinion so many people have become total wimps, and will always complain. It was very simple...if you felt your kids were in danger you should have kept them home. Don't blame someone else. "

" My children are grown but when they were in school I never let the school decide what was and wasn't safe for them. That included bitter cold as well as snow and ice. All three were present Tuesday. The other school districts made the safe caring call. Lincoln evidently doesn't care. Mine went to District 145 and had to ride a school bus over 15 miles on rough unmaintained gravel roads because of the route they were on. They clean the back roads After the main ones sometimes not until the next day. If I thought it was too dangerous I had no problem keeping them home for the day. The school district already packs our children onto buses with no seat belts even though we would be ticketed and charged with child endangerment if our children rode in our cars like that. Those people did not make safety decisions for my children. This school district is trying to look good on the books and clearly does not care if the children are in danger because of it. Thank god no children were hurt trying to get in there that day. I can tell you mine would have stayed home like ALL the other children in the Area did that day. "

" I think LPS was right about not closing schools. It is winter in Nebraska people should expect some snow, ice and frigid temperatures. If we close schools everytime it snowed we would be in school until July. I think people just need something to complain about! "

" What some cheese with that whine???? I want my snow days back, it was cold, it was windy, blah blah blah. Look at the numbers 82% compared to 90% the week before. With parents making comments like these publically, no doubt they make the same comments in front of their 2nd and 3rd graders. Nice job, you are teaching your children well that if you don't like something just cry and whine about it. Don't take responsibility and meet expectations, just whine that it is not what you want to do. This is why we see this attitude more and more in our society and it will surely (if not already) be its downfall. You all need to 'deal'. BTW, where did the article say ANYTHING about OPS???? "

" With the reactions of the other two posters, school should have been closed this entire week. We've had fresh snow pack, dangerous wind chills and sheets of ice under the snow all week. I don't think 3-4 days of being in school on those extra snow days instead of home, mall, etc., will hurt anyone. "

" I wonder how many kids were involved in accidents on the way to school. How many kids slid off the road and damged thier car? I am sure the were multiple. It's hard to say if it was worth it for most everybody or not as I can only speak for myself, but if LPS had any question about canceling school, they should have just done it. "

" If LPS is going to have school during a winter storm, then they need to get the school parking lots plowed before students arrive. Lincoln SW and Meadowlane Elementary were not passable Tuesday morning. "

" I don't think that's a "swipe" at Omaha. They have a lot more hills than we do which makes things a lot more tricky. It wasn't that bad here, not bad enough to cancel school. Good work road crews, by the way. "

" The issue may not have been as much snow as temperature...the substance of protection is not always in the form of snow. Parents should have an option of not sending their children to school without accral of an "absent" mark under these extreme conditions, there is room to amend and improve policy. "

" It is your responsibility to care for your kids, not LPS or any other institution. They did not force you to expose your children to these terrible conditions, they kept the school open so that you could take them if you so choose. We cannot afford to build heated enclosures to protect the kids waiting for the buses, colder climates than ours don't close their schools over 5" of snow. Take an hour off of work and drive YOUR children to school, or are they not important enough? "

" Does LPS have clear criteria when it comes to canceling school for weather conditions? It seems that the weather on Tuesday was worse then other days when LPS has decided to cancel school. This editorial is not really too helpful by suggesting that the weather wasn't "bad enough". What would it take to make it "bad enough"? 10 inches of snow? 12 inches? -40 wind chill? "

" Good for you LPS and LJS. I have a little Saturn coupe and had no problem getting around. You know what I did? I left earlier, drove slower and bundled up. Kind of one of those things you have to do living here. And no, I never walked uphill both ways in the snow to school. Buck up, you candy -----! "

" that teen drivers would have stayed home if school was cancelled? No, they would have hopped into their cars anyway and gone to out to the mall, restaurant, etc. They still would have been encountered the same hazards as they did driving to school - it wouldn't have mattered if they did close. "

" If they want students to come to school our parking lots should be cleared so we can park unhazardly because that is ridiculous! And i dont feel safe when i see cars in poles and people on stretchers...that seems so safe for kids... "

" I just have to weigh in on this conversation. I was actually surprised that LPS did not close school. I have seen other days that were not nearly this bad and they cancelled classes. My son went to school, even though my daughter's school (Trinity Lutheran) cancelled classes, so I stayed home anyway. My son has not missed a single day of school since he started 5 years ago, he's not going to start now. I was a bit concerned that school was not called off though. Most of the sidewalks had not been cleared, parking lots were not cleared and residential streets were not plowed. This is more than a safety issue. If LPS was on top of things they would have allowed the city to complete their plowing by keeping kids and families home so that side streets were not impassable with cars and walking children. With the additional wind and temperatures it would have just been a better idea to call it off and try again on Wednesday. As a side comment I would also like to mention that although Trinity did close, that decision was made after 7 am, therefore I drove my child to school and was greeted with locked doors and no lights. Myself and several other families tried ot reach the office thinking there may be a closed recording but there wasn't. It would have been nice to know earlier that classes were cancelled to save me from having to drive all the way there for nothing. Just an additionl thought. "

" It's one thing if the storm occurs early enough in the morning so that crews can get out and clean up; but when the storm is still occurring as the kids are going to school, that's a problem. "

" I agree with Chad about taking your children to school on bad days - when that is possible. It was too cold for children to be walking to school without adequate clothing (whatever that is for subzero windchills). Unfortunately, not all parents have the luxury of going into work late or leaving early, no matter how important their children are to them. The children who are often left to brave the elements without warm enough outerware are the children from underprivileged homes, led by single parents, in jobs without much flexibility. I don't think that closing schools and keeping children safe and warm at home when temperatures are dangerously low during flu season makes for a weaker school system or a generation of "wimps." "

" Does everyone always have to complain? If you want hard conditions try Minnesota or Wisconsin, or even Wyoming. Schools hardly ever shut down because of snow, wind chill & ice. Even in Western Nebraska(thats past Grand Island & Kearney too, such as Big Springs & Chappell) schools don't shut down for 3 inches of snow. The City of Lincoln did a good job on the streets and NDOR has done a great job on the highways & interstates this winter season. Learn to appreciate the City you live in. "

" If the LPS had declared a snow day and all the kids got to stay home, what do you think they would have done? They would have been outside in the snow, wind, and ice playing. If they can play outside - they can go to school. We did when I was in school and we walked every day because that was the only way we could get to school. "

" I agree completely with Tom. Why don't you people take responsibility for your own children and their well being instead of relying on LPS to do it? Oh yes, because you also count on LPS to raise your children. We, as I have a child also, as parents are and should be responsible for the well being of our children. If I feel it is too dangerous for my daughter, she's not leaving the house. Simple as that. Today's parents are losing control of their children and it is these kind of views (Jeff, Pete, etc.) that cause it. Everyone is scared to be a parent and too busy trying to be a friend. "

" A finding that indicates the district is not implementing tchnology to allow off site learning or effective use of the internet. The internet should be a tool in situations when nature or terrorists cause conflicts with presence in claasrooms. It is time to look at how far behind the state of technology some practices are. "

" I grew up in Montana, where winters are much more severe. I can count the number of times my town closed school due to weather on one hand...and that is in 18 years! The complainers are teaching their children to wimp out when they face difficulties. It amazes me how much complaining goes on in the comments section of this website. Lincoln is a great place to live (and has relatively mild winters). If you do not like it here, please move! "

" It was wasteful to burn energy on the coldest days of the year. While safety is a consideration, limited resources are also a concern. Schools close early because of heat, why not accept cold too is a reason to adjust schedules? Is an energy policy in place at LPS to address conservation and cutting back energy costs by 20 % as the Bush implied in his State of the Union address? "

" It's great that everyone is an expert. When they do call off school the other half of the population cries about it. "

" Were you aware that LPS does not provide bus transportion for children? So, you think it is okay to send small children out in subzero temperatures to walk to school? Something is very wrong with a school district that does not bus. Lincoln is very unique in its neglect to bus children. However, upon calling the district office, I was informed they do bus ESL students and Special Ed kids. So, that leave those of us who can speak English and are healthy out of the LPS bus program. In a town this size, I have to disagree with you. It is not safe to send children out walking along busy streets in subzero temperatures with cars driving right next to them on icy roads. Not safe at all. "

" Heather, Thank you for calling the district office rather than guessing about the LPS busing policy. Just to clarify, ELL students are only transported at district expense when their home school does not provide ELL services. There is limited busing at some schools where students have to walk dangerous routes and long distances to school. "

" let's get real. it snows in nebraska. if you want to keep your kids home, keep them home. just don't complain that you cannot get them there. since when is a little snow and cold a hindrence to nebraskans? "

" Lps needs to understand that calling a day off due to weather will not hinder a child's education. Why take the risk and the students would probably learn more at home than at school anyway! "

" LPS does not provide busing to school but insist they are looking out for the children by not giving them snow days. The children say the classrooms are cold. If snow days are built into the school year and not used, they should be given back to the students at the end of the year. LPS is suppose educate children, not baby sit them. "

" I am surprised to see how many people are quick to blame LPS when it comes to declaring a snow day. Sometimes it would be a good idea for a two hour delay but not to close the schools down because of 2-4 inches of snow. It's winter-time people, wear a second layers of clothing, leave early for work, drive slower as yes, there is ice under the snow. In reference to the not-so-fortunate...it is always going to be tough for them. Yes I feel awlful for them and their situatuions but that's just life. I've been in their shoes before and I survived the cold. I'm a better person for it. "

" Wow. I used to live in Minnesota, and the idea that schools would be closed on Tuesday for that little storm makes me laugh. What a bunch of whiners. Really, the comments here are embarrasingly whimpy. Pioneer forefathers must be tossing in their graves. "

" My child has a temp of 101.9 right now !!!! good call LPS "

" This discussion is just funny to me. The reason so many parents wanted a snow day was so they could have a good excuse to stay home too. I agree with everyone who said that a snow day does not keep the kids inside at home. This storm did not merit a snow day. "

" whats with all this ice under the snow eveyone is talking about there was no ice under the snow "

" the roads and weather wasn't that bad i guess for those with no sense and no driving abilities they should look into public transportation "

" the parents complaining are the parents raising tomorrows welfare recipients teaching them always a reason not to go to school and in the future to work just think instead of going to school they could of been shopping at walmart "

" I hope that during the massive pile-up/Thoroughfare of Death that Vine Street supposedly became on Tuesday, someone called a Whaaa-mbulance. "

" Use them or lose them! "

" Some people still believe that cold weather makes one catch a cold. Obviously, the schools in Lincoln did not serve the previous generation well. We should be pushing education in rain or shine, snow or sleet to overcome some of the sheer ignorance of that many parents will instill in their children. "

" While I agree that generally the conditions on that Tuesday were not too bad, it was the conditions of the roads and weather that were the major problem. It was still snowing when most took their children to school, the roads weren't in good condition either. I left for class, and none of the roads on the way to East were plowed, I passed by several plows on the other side of 84th just driving along, the school lots were not even in good condition either; no one could see any of the lines and people guessed as to where they were to park, resulting in cars being boxed in (which is a problem if the boxed in has to leave before the other cars around it) The schools tried to handle it but they couldn't. Education barely even happened, with all students and teachers extremely disgruntled about their even being there (I've heard that LPS recieved over 700 calls because some teachers assigned their students to call in with their complaints.) Sad to say but: Unhappy Students + Unhappy Teachers =/= Education. "

" I have a 16 year old Daughter that drives herself to school, we will usally drive her when the weather is bad, not becuase we don't trust her driving but the parking lot at east is like a demo derby when the roads are bad! My wife has been hit twice in that parking lot over the years during bad weather, What will it take for someone to shut down the Lincoln schools when bad weather strikes? maybe a death? By the way we moved here from upstate New York a few years ago, they get much more snow there, they do a much better job of cleaning the roads and they are not affraid to close schools for snowdays.. I am good with whatever the LPS system decides as long as they decide early enough to for partents to make arrangments to get their kids to school. And I don't need a daycare. "

" You complaining parents that are claiming LPS is doing an injustice need to really look in the mirror. How old are most of you? I assume like me, you were raised many years ago when we didn't EVER get snow days. AND, oh my gosh, we all survived. Let's be honest, the reason you wanted a snow day was to get the day off also. You complain that it was "too cold to make them walk". How about you BE A PARENT and actually drive them to school??? I continue to be amazed at parents using their kids as excuses... "