We old-timers remember when it took a veritable blizzard for school to be called off. Unless the snow was over the Kindergarteners' heads and they couldn't breathe, we trudged through snow drifts to the old schoolhouse. Nowadays, a forecast for "wintry mix" (whatever that is) shuts down the Halls of Learning even if roads are dry at 7 AM.
Schools take any excuse to shut down - the First Day of Hunting Season, the Jewish High Holy Days, Teacher In-Service. Four school districts near Columbus, OH found a new excuse - Carnivores on the Loose. The keeper of an Exotic Animal Preserve was found dead yesterday and all the animal pens were opened. There are lions, tigers, and bears (Oh my!) not to mention wolves and other large carnivores wandering the Ohio countryside right now. Experts from the Columbus Zoo recommend that local residents stay indoors. Little Tiffany and Josh waiting at the school bus stop might look like Olde Country Buffet to a hungry lion.
My hometown lacked a zoo or even a nearby Exotic Animal Preserve. Still, I think that a pack of hungry wolves on the loose might have caused even our hard-hearted School Superintendent to call off classes. Many a time, I prayed for a blizzard when I was unprepared for a math or science test. Of course that was only realistic in mid-winter. Kids today have it so easy. They can avoid that test and get school called off any time of the year if there is a Breakout at the Zoo. No wonder the US ranks above only Swaziland and Bolivia in academic performance.
No comments:
Post a Comment