Parents praise bus drivers for prioritizing safety as Richmond Schools get a snow day
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A two-hour delay turned full cancellation left both parents and bus drivers questioning how Richmond Public Schools (RPS) makes decisions regarding inclement weather.
A winter storm impacted Central Virginia the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 11, bringing a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to the area. For many, this precipitation lasted into the early hours of Wednesday, Feb. 12, bringing with it poor road conditions and power outages.
At 7:58 a.m. on Wednesday, RPS released a statement to parents that read as follows:
"Due to an increase in buildings facing power difficulties and 70+ bus driver callouts this morning, all RPS schools and offices will be virtual today. Students, please continue to complete assignments provided Monday. Teachers are encouraged to remain available for any questions and support.
We understand that this change in course may cause frustration. Please understand that our first priority is always safety - and we know that for many of our students and families, school is a place to access critical resources. We apologize for any inconvenience."
However, when 8News reached out to the school district later that morning to learn more about the closure, a spokesperson responded that an increase in power outages was "ultimately what led to the change in operational status."
The statement continued,
"Our schools provide crucial resources to thousands of our students — most acutely, two meals a day, but also healthcare, shelter and mental health supports, and many other services.
Additionally, we know school buildings are the best place for learning. Streets were forecasted (and are) mostly clear in the city, so our plan was to open on a delayed schedule, alongside the City of Richmond and the hundreds of local businesses where our parents and caregivers are expected to report for work today. The increasing number of power outages at school sites, coupled with the operational challenges in the Transportation department, shifted our decision on whether we could safely and fully operate in-person today."
Parents are applauding bus drivers for taking this step.
"If the bus drivers didn't band together to do what they did, it didn't seem as though it [the school district] was going to close," said RPS parent of two Nyiaka James.
One anonymous bus driver spoke candidly with 8News about their decision to call out.
"Most drivers, including myself, we look at these kids as our children -- we have to transport them," said one bus driver who wanted to remain anonymous. "We create a bond. We're their mom, their dad, their doctor, we're their nurse, we're everything, every day. So to put them in danger just to get to school is … It's insane.”
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Plenty of parents on Facebook stood in support of these drivers.
"It's unfortunate that it took that to happen for you, for them to make a change or make that call," said a parent known as James.
James said families didn't get a cancellation text, call or email until almost 8 a.m. on Wednesday, leaving many parents struggling to figure out what to do. We spoke with another bus driver, who did not call out and was actually getting ready to go to work that morning.
"I was getting ready to walk out the door for work," the driver said. "It was kind of scary because I was scrolling on my feed on social media and I'd seen 850 crashes ... So that's why I thought, 'Oh my God, this is not safe.'"
