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Schools

Should Schools Have Been Closed Thursday?

Many answer NO in all-capital letters and a few exclamation points. Others say it's the safe thing to do.

You've already heard the warnings.

Dangerous cold. Wind chills approaching 30 below zero. Winds gusting to 25 or 30 mph. Blowing and drifting snow throughout Thursday morning.

At around 4 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service Chicago extended the Wind Chill Advisory two hours on each end. It's now for 7 p.m. Wednesday to noon Thursday.

When similar conditions struck the Tri-Cities on Jan. 6, Batavia and Geneva school districts closed up shop. They stayed closed on Tuesday, Jan. 7, as well. Of course, wind chills at that time were getting down to 40 or 50 below zero, and that followed a big snowstorm.

When that storm hit, Geneva and Batavia residents were almost unanimous in their agreement that officials made the right call to close public schools.

Now, when asked if schools should closed Thursday for the projected -30 wind chills, we're seeing a little colder response.

Batavia Patch Facebook


  • Jerri Wenzel and Melissa Feltes Dempsey like this.

  • Dianna Rae No

  • Brian Nallenweg No! Dress your kids for the weather. Don't let them wear shorts to school in sub-zero weather because it's the fashion trend...

  • Brian N. Stiner No, but we live in a lawsuit-happy country so the school district has to cover it's a$$.

  • Cela Vidlak Zofkie No!

  • Maredith Stoffel why not? they were closed two weeks ago for same cold weather.

  • Eric Anderson Out of the loop- what's happening Thursday?

  • Michelle Farris Smith I think you have to think about the kids that walk to school and also the kids waiting for the bus. I feel bad for the kids that have medical conditions like asthma. So in my opinion, I don't think it's worth it!

  • Kim French Treger NO

  • David Treger Absolutely NOT!!about an hour ago · Like

  • Jill Stevens Please no!! The kids will be in June at this rate of snow days.

  • Sonia Haase Yes! Safety of our kids first!

  • Cathy Agnew Steinbach If kids have a medical issue like asthma, then keep them home. But unless it's something like that, make sure they're dressed for the weather and send them to school.

  • Vicki Bellafiore Williams I'd rather my kids go a couple of extra days at the end of May than have dozens of kids suffer from frostbite damaged skin, fingers, and toes after waiting for the bus or walking to school. Not all kids have the comfort of warmed cars to drop them off at the school doors.

  • Rob Nielsen no

  • Jerri Wenzel As cold as the schools are kept, if the temperature falls below 0 at night the classrooms and hallways are freezing. Here's a better question, why do we have to make up the school days missed, required number of days of school is 160 we are ALREADY in school 172. Ask the administrators that questions


Geneva Patch Facebook


  • Angel Bernahl My son isn't school age but if he was, I wouldn't send him. It's dangerous weather. It's safer for everyone to stay home.

  • Cindy Zelasko Stauffer Yes, only if the school buses don't start. They are not engineered to start in sub zero temps/windchill with diesel engines. (Personal experience).

  • Erin Raney Borden Yes! Everyone should stay in to stay safe! And warm!

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