When a major winter storm threatened the New York metro earlier this week, city officials declared all students would not get a snow day, rather they would spend a day learning remotely.

Snow days are a tradition spanning all grades and ages, but with recent tech upgrades and changes, many major districts around the Omaha area, such as Millard and OPS area, have replaced no-school snow days with an at-home learning option. This decision not only affects the mental health of students but teachers as well, and its effects will impact current students until they leave.

Where students once had a snow day, select districts now have students use their school-provided devices to participate in remote learning. BPS has been lucky enough to keep leisurely snow days. 

Students of all districts have often taken part in silly and fun traditions in order to “increase” the chance of snow. Traditions such as sleeping with pajamas inside out, flushing ice down the toilet, or even sleeping with spoons under pillows. While these traditions may seem silly, in reality, they give kids something to be hopeful for, and serve as a way to connect students to the youthful joy of a snow day–because who wouldn’t want a snow day?

Snow days provide solace for students. When a student is able to have even one day to play in the snow or to make progress on school work or even just get the much needed sleep students haven’t been getting, it positively impacts them. While a snow day isn’t something that can be used to teach further instruction, it is a time for that instruction to be understood. 

Remote learning policies are not just harming students, they also harm those who teach them. The topic of overworked teachers has been a trending topic for many reasons but one thing will always remain true: they need a break. Between lesson plans, grading, and personal lives, teachers undoubtedly have their hands full and snow days provide a similar opportunity for them as it does to their students.

Overall, the decision of replacing snow days with remote learning is wildly harmful to all involved. It hurts both the mental health and work ethic of students and encourages a world where burnout is the norm. 

No kid should have to wake up to a snow covered horizon just to turn on their iPad and boot into class.