NYC Schools Won't Have Snow Days This Year

As kids across New York City head back to school for the new academic year, they need to brace themselves for what will undoubtedly be seen as bad news from their perspective, at least. No more snow days. One of the great joys of being a child, a surprise day off in a winter wonderland, will instead be replaced with remote learning.

New York Schools Chancellor David Banks told Good Day New York on Tuesday that kids will be expected to attend school remotely when the weather turns bad enough to call for a snow day this year. “There are technically no more snow days,” Banks told the outlet, explaining that the pandemic had actually opened the door to ending snow days. “With the new technology that we have — that’s one of the good things that came out of Covid — if a snow day comes around, we want to make sure that our kids continue to learn. So, sorry kids! No more snow days, but it’s gonna be good for you!”

So instead of an afternoon spent outside enjoying a day off from school in the snow, New York City kids will instead be inside in front of their device learning.

People took to Twitter to share their feelings about the possible loss of snow days, with some even saying they will continue to honor snow days in their own home. Like one dad who wrote, “The kid will not be going to school if it snows. Kids deserve snow days.”

Others were just sad for students who have already gone through so much in the past few years. “Looks like COVID shot fun in the foot. No more ‘snow days’ for inclement weather for schools here; students will employ remote learning instead. Kinda makes me sad that the kids starting school this year will never know the joy of a snow day,” another tweeted.

While the loss of snow days is going to be a disappointment to some students in New York, it should be noted that there are a total of 13 holidays that fall on a weekday this year when kids will be out of school including Italian Heritage/Indigenous Peoples’ Day, formerly Columbus Day, and Juneteenth. So that’s something to look forward to this school year.

And look on the bright side; maybe the snow will get so bad that wifi will go down. And then everyone gets a snow day.