As winter is coming closer and closer to a close, we look back on the magical memories of holidays and snow. Snow is always a wonderful and joyous surprise when you wake up one morning, and peak through your blinds to find what appears to be the entire world covered in a blanket of white. You’re bubbling with excitement. Then you hear that school has been cancelled, and a sweet relief washes over you like warm water. You go sledding down a dangerous hill with friends, crashing into the bushes. Then, you make snowballs and throw them at your brother or sister, and you create a little snowman that you secretly hope will spring alive at any moment. Those are the amazing moments of a snow day.  

But in the last few weeks, something horrible happened. Twice West Seattle High School had remote learning instead of a once-revered snow day. The school expected students to open up their laptops and log into a meeting so that the district can meet some requirement. No one seemed to want this, so why is this necessary? Students have strong feelings about the schools going all
“Grinch” and destroying the winter wonderland childhood magic.  

“The fact that SPS makes you attend online school sucks.” says Jacob, his face full of sadness. 

 What’s more important, happy children and students living their life, or online school, where most students are going to skip it anyway? Another student, Nye, told me “I think it’s really dumb; I don’t feel too strongly about it one way or another because I’m just not gonna go.”  

The overall feel of this decision by Seattle Public schools has been met with much disdain and contempt. Even as some of the teachers carried out their orders to hold online classes, they expressed their own annoyance at the situation. It seems no one wants online school, but like the cold cutting weather, there is no stopping it.