Miami superintendent apologizes; explains decision keeping schools open Monday

MIAMI, Okla. – Recent weather advisories in Miami, Oklahoma have raised concerns about the safety of in person learning. So when Miami Public Schools announced they would be in session Monday morning, parents were frustrated.

 

Miami Public Schools will be in session Monday, February 8th!

🔵⚪️💪🏾 #AIFW #TWDW

Posted by Miami Public Schools on Monday, February 8, 2021

“It’s icy, my driveway my porch, everything was just covered in ice,” said Miami mother Heather Vana.

Although she was nervous to drive in today’s slippery conditions, she believed having her kids stay home would cause them to fall behind.

“All I was thinking is should I make that call of keeping my kids home or not,” says Vana. “And I was like I’m gonna do it because if not, my kids are going to be counted absent.”

Miami school superintendent Jeremy Hogan clarified that they want to work with students who originally stayed home

“We had families who kept kids home today which is perfectly fine,” said Hogan.

He says Monday morning he felt comfortable that the school district could get students to class safely, but once the weather took a turn so did their decision

“I apologize, it was a mistake,” confessed Hogan. “If I could roll back time we wouldn’t have had school today, but we did and we worked to ensure they were safe in the school buildings. And if we could get them home earlier in a safe manner, we would do that.”

Later that morning Hogan issued out an apology and allowed parents to pick their kids up at any time in the day, to make up for any issues that came from bringing them to school. Hogan says the district makes sure to use data from the National Weather Service, as well as from local officials to ensure they are making the safest possible decision for staff and students.

Miami Public Schools cancelled school on Tuesday.