Debate: Are Snow Days A Thing Of The Past?

Ella Hochstadt – Staff Writer (Affirmative)

Emma Haidar – Co-Opinions Editor (Negative)

Opening Statements:

Affirmative Opening Statement:

It is an early January morning: the wind is howling, the frost is biting, but most importantly, a blanket of pristine white snow coats the streets. You are wrapped tightly in your three layers of blankets, lost in a soothing dream, when you hear the phone ring. You groan and turn over, but, at the same time, across the hallway, your parents are grudgingly leaving their warm cocoon to intercept the phone call. You try to ignore the ringing of the phone and the chatter of your parents, until, suddenly, you hear faintly from down the hall, “This is Dominic A. A. Randolph.” It is only 5:00 am, but you jump out of bed and take a victory lap around the house. Even though you had forgotten to flush an ice cube down the toilet, turn your pajamas inside out, and place a spoon under your pillow, the snow day gods still delivered! 

Fast forward to high school. Even without a pandemic, Riverdale students are stressed. Attending such a competitive school has fostered a sometimes unhealthy preoccupation with grades and success in us from a young age. And as everyone has graciously pointed out (maybe too many times), we are in “unprecedented times.” I would argue that snow days are more essential now than they ever were before. Teenage mental health issues have been exacerbated during the coronavirus pandemic. Yes, we now have the ability to switch from in-person learning to remote learning with a single email, but that does not mean that students and teachers have no use for the occasional surprise mental health day. For these reasons, during this time in which nothing can be the same as before, I argue that snow days should not become a thing of the past.

Negative Opening Statement:

In this new age of Zoom meetings, hybrid schedules, and school shutdowns, the coronavirus pandemic has taken an enormous toll on teachers, students, and families, forcing us all to become more flexible, more tech-savvy, and to try to emulate the classroom atmosphere from home. Remote learning comes with its challenges: students and teachers are often plagued with internet connection issues which can shave precious minutes off of class time, lagging during class discussions, and increased distractions from at-home environments. When combined with reduced class time this year (from four periods per week to three), all these factors add up to wreak significant havoc on students’ academic gains, causing them to fall behind the usual curriculum. Teachers have had to cut down on the curriculum, choosing which units to prioritize and which can be skipped, and revert to less traditional testing methods to assess their students' understanding. 

In a normal school year, both teachers and students alike enjoy the break that snow days bring from the daily school schedule. However, in a year where we have had to adapt to countless new changes: asynchronous classes, synchronous remote classes, hybrid classes, and so on, we have all become aware, now more than ever, of the vital importance of class time. 

While snow days often offer a welcome reprieve from the stresses of daily life, due to these extraordinary circumstances, it makes more sense for schools to forgo snow days in favor of remote classes to maximize class time and prevent learning loss.

Questions and Rebbutals:

Questions for Negative:

1. Are you implying that maximizing classes’ curriculum is more important than students’ mental health?

2. You said that “it makes more sense for schools to forgo snow days.” Yet, many schools are not forgoing snow days this year. What makes those schools able to give their students snow days while Riverdale cannot?

Negative Responses:

1. As you addressed in your opening statement, students’ mental health has been severely impacted by the pandemic due to increased external stress and social isolation. According to the CDC, in this remote setting, students have been experiencing higher rates of anxiety, depression, and general burnout. The current public health crisis requires schools to balance community members’ physical and mental health with meeting curricular expectations. However, expecting snow days to alleviate students’ mental health issues would simply be putting a Band-aid on a larger problem. Schools should instead invest more resources into psychological counseling for students who are struggling, and look into more permanent fixes to the high pressure academic environment. 

2. As we have transitioned into remote learning, many private schools in the New York City area have taken different precautions to ensure community members’ health and safety. Some schools are staying all remote. Some schools are trying to bring students in five days a week. And some, like Riverdale, have adopted a hybrid schedule, changing the traditional winter and summer breaks. Based on these differences, it makes sense that schools are taking an individualized approach to snow days, especially given the option of remote class. In fact, the New York City public school system has eliminated snow days this year to prevent added strain on educators and parents. Ultimately, each school has to weigh the pros and cons to see what works best for their community.

Questions for Affirmative:

1. How would you justify keeping snow days to parents who rely on schools to supervise their children while they are working and have no alternate form of childcare? 

2. Even if Riverdale kept snow days, wouldn’t the added work teachers assign later in the week to keep up with the curriculum simply further strain students’ mental health?

Affirmative Responses:

1. I would argue that, in a way, for working parents, this year might be a more convenient time for snow days than ever. Regardless of whether or not students have a snow day or a remote learning day, they will be at home. Therefore, a snow day will not really change parents’ load all that much. Maybe their child will bother them more without the distraction of remote school, but their colleagues will likely be understanding if they have to step away from their computer for a bit. After all, as you said, we have all learned to be more flexible in this new Zoom world. Or, if the parents normally work outside of the house, the odds are that they will not be able to get to work either. Moreover, if there is a snow day, parents will not have to worry about ensuring that their child is attending their classes as they should be, which might actually lessen their burden.

2. Teachers have already had to scrap roughly a quarter of their curricula for the 2020-2021 school year. Although this is a real bummer, especially because Riverdale students are filled with intellectual curiosity, it is the reality of our current situation. So, in the scheme of things, what’s getting rid of one more reading, one more problem set, or one more worksheet when teachers have already had to get rid of twenty-five percent of their material? In short, I don’t think it’s necessary for teachers to assign more work to make up for a snow day. Instead, they should encourage their students to enjoy their time in the snow and allow themselves to experience the magic of a snow day as well.

Closing Statements:

Affirmative Closing Statement:

During this tumultuous year, students, more than ever, need the magic of snow days to break up the monotony of their days of Zoom classes, and the mental relief that snow days provide. In a few short years, all of us will turn eighteen, and become legal adults with the right to vote or enlist in the army. Around the same time, we will be heading off to college, where we will have the responsibility to care for ourselves. High school, in effect, is the end of our childhood, but can any of you remember the last time you fully felt like a child? I, personally, cannot. As I mentioned before, a lot of pressure is put on Riverdale students to succeed, and I would argue that this pressure has aged us prematurely. For this reason, over the past couple of years, snow days have been one of the only pieces of our childhood that still exist. They are the only days that instead of working we are encouraged to just go out, relax, and play in the snow. On snow days, we are children, not high functioning mini-adults.

Negative Closing Statement:

Ultimately, while students might be momentarily disappointed by the lack of snow days, substituting remote learning for school closures is more advantageous for both teachers and students as we navigate this unpredictable public health crisis. I agree that mental health, now more than ever, must be a priority of the Riverdale administration and all schools. However, I think this means doing more for students rather than giving them a snow day and calling it a day. For students, school provides a sense of community in the midst of widespread social isolation and a sense of normalcy and routine in what has already become an upended year. Moreover, lost time learning, especially in younger grades, has a ripple effect, potentially forcing students to play catch up later in high school and college. Given how much of the curriculum we have had to sacrifice, one or two days really does make a difference. One day off means losing 1/3 of class time in a week. Preserving the little class time we have is the least we can do in a year which has already challenged our school so much.