In Wisconsin during the 1960s, there were 137 days with below zero temperatures, and in the 1970s, there were 138 days below zero; so far this decade, there have been 24 such days.

Without turning this into a debate on global warming, these numbers are noteworthy. A below-zero day is, for this generation is much rarer and, in relation, a much colder experience than it was for our parents. This being true, we may not be properly adjusted. Therefore, should schools have closed during last week's subzero temperatures?

Absolutely not. There is simply more to teach, more to handle, more to deal with than ever before in today’s schools, especially at the elementary and secondary levels. We need to take advantage of as many school days as possible.

Milwaukee Public Schools are required to have 180 full days of class in a school year, with five to be taken off for conferences or weather difficulties. As there are more conferences and teacher-administrator workshops in a growingly complex educational environment, the allowance for bad-weather cancellations shrinks considerably.

The brave citizens of Milwaukee are a tough bunch—to a point. That point was reached last week when temperatures dropped to 10 below zero with wind chills at 30 below zero. Milwaukee’s public schools closed, although some districts in other nearby areas did not, and the city slowed down considerably in the biting cold. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, however, chose to battle the elements and did not cancel classes at all last week.

As reported by local news stations, the various school officials and decision-making bodies were in some cases very late in informing their students about school closings, and there was considerable confusion on the UWM campus as to whether or not class was being held. Some students stayed home while classes were in session, while others braved the elements.

One would think there would be a more standardized, efficient method at UWM, MPS, and surrounding school districts for dealing with these situations that would lead to less confusion. The West Allis-West Milwaukee school district’s website, for example, states that school closings are based upon criteria like “Current weather/safety conditions” and “Highway and road conditions.” It does not, however, include in depth details into specific temperatures or road conditions that justify a school closing.

Every year, these events come up, and chaos ensues. Perhaps it’s time that school officials at the collegiate and K-12 levels develop a better plan for how to deal with such inevitable situations.

There should be a cutoff time by which a decision on school closings must be made, and that time should be sufficiently far in advance of the school day to ensure all students and families receive the message. Poor reporting of the status of classes made many UWM students skip lectures and some students in the public schools unnecessarily show up at school.

The show must go on, the schools must stay open. In order to achieve this end, perhaps greater education is the key. Schools should take it upon themselves to take a moment to educate their students and families about the procedure for cold/adverse weather conditions.

Inform them clearly, when the weather starts to turn cold, what the exact procedure is. Just as importantly, provide advice on how to properly handle those bitterly cold days, suggesting to the students and families that the schools will remain open in difficult weather conditions. Communication between the schools and students ahead of time can eliminate confusion and wasted days later on in the season.

This editorial was written by John Whitehead as the result of an editorial board meeting featuring Whitehead, Matt McFall and Nick Schurk.