Lee County schools opening while hurricane lingers controversial for parents

Fear of high winds and other storm conditions from Hurricane Dorian are reasons why parents want to keep children in Lee County home from school Tuesday; however, the School District of Lee County announced school is in session tomorrow.

We received calls from parents who are outraged their kids are scheduled to be in class tomorrow, as Dorian lingers off the coast Monday night, projected to move up along the coast.

Collier, Hendry and Glades counties already canceled class throughout their respective school districts, while Charlotte County also plans to have classes in session Tuesday.

On the Collier County Public Schools website, the front page shares an emergency alert for Hurricane Dorian. It says, Dorian’s turn is “not expected until early hours tomorrow, which is when the weather for Collier can be affected.” And “the reasonable worst case winds could potentially exceed safe levels for buses to be on the road.”

Charlotte and Lee school made the decision to stay open. Lee County says, surrounding communities “reach much further east, where the winds are predicted to be stronger.”

We are not at the peak of hurricane season yet, so Lee and Charlotte are saving their Hurricane make up days. Lee County ran out of its hurricane make up during Hurricane Irma after the storm made a direct hit in Southwest Florida.

Parents like Todd Little said it’s better to play it safe, so he’s not sending his kids to school.

“I think that the school board just needs to take into account how close the storm is,” Little said. “Everyone is saying it’s going to go north, but it hasn’t made that turn yet. And even if it does turn north, with the winds and the rains, we’re still going to get from the outer bands.”

Other parents like Daneen Breitenach said she trusts the school district is making the safest decision.

“As long as they think it’s safe, I don’t have a problem with it,” Breitenach said. “And I guess they won’t have to make up an extra day, so get them in, and let them go to school.”