Parts of the Northeast United States were hit on Tuesday (13) by a snowstorm that canceled and delayed flights, made roads slippery and dangerous, and led many school districts to cancel classes or switch to remote learning – or at least attempt to switch.
In New York City, the online learning system serving the largest school district in the country faced technical issues early in the morning, preventing many of the 915,000 students from logging in.
Students, of course, were pleased, as it has been over two years since they last saw snow accumulate in the city where they live. Not bad to give them a long-awaited and desired ‘snow day’.
The city’s decision to proceed with remote learning instead of declaring a snow day drew criticism from many parents and students, and the problems with the online system exacerbated the discontent.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams defended the decision to use remote learning in schools, stating that it was necessary due to learning losses during the coronavirus pandemic.
Other cities in the region acted differently and ordered schools and public offices to close. In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont ordered all executive branch buildings to be closed to the public during the day, and all state courts were closed. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey instructed all non-essential executive branch employees not to report to work on Tuesday, and Boston schools were closed.
More than a thousand flights were canceled just on Tuesday morning, mainly at New York City and Boston airports. Accidents on roads were reported throughout the region. Therefore, governors of several states, including New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts, urged residents to work from home and avoid non-essential travel.
More than thirty centimeters of snow fell in parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning. In New York City, at least 8 inches of snow were expected.
Source: CBS News