I like this tactic. Kudos to Alonso.

I agree. I like AAA's barn raising mentality. Personally, I spent the better part of three entire days digging out plus parts of othe days. Did AAA dig out? Drive? Park? Like a regular person? My school has almost no staff parking. Where are we to park? Reality is that a certain number of us have to drive. Carpool? MTA? Don't preach what you are not willing to do. Most importantly,the sidewalks are not ready for kids once you are off school proprty. I hope drivers are very careful!!

In terms of parking - many schools don't have parking lots and the street parking situation around the city is really ugly. Residents are using all the spots available, and that's not going to change until the snow has melted and street parking is back to normal. For teachers and staff that drive to work, I think carpooling is the best option. A lot of streets in the city are still completely inaccessible for driving and parking.

I love the idea of alonso's vision. Oh wait, this is the place where parents think it's ok for their children to fight, curse out adults and generally act like fools. Yeah, I'm sure they will find time in their busy drinking and drugging schedules to dig out schools. Nope, nevermind, it's the 15th, many just got their government paychecks! Maybe tomorrow?

Did anyone see Keith Scroggins on WBAL-TV at 5pm? he said, "We're not naive -- we know that students are going to walk in the street -- we're just asking them to be safe and not walk in the middle of the road."

Am I wrong? Did anyone else see it? That's what it sounded like -- if that is what he said, that is appalling, and I am wondering why city parents let these officials treat kids in the city like they are expendable, while kids in the county are given the priority of safety...

What's the hurry. So what if the kids miss a few more days of school, it's not cosmic. Heaven forbid a child is injured trying to get to school on unplowed streets and sidewalks. Some schools have not had any plowing or shoveling.

The city is not at all ready for "business as usual". Tomorrow, and the coming days, will be a nightmare. Most city streets are barely passable, there's no place to park and no place to walk.

I fear for the safety of our children.

BCPSS closed tomorrow. Guess the request for diggers was unfulfilled.

My job requires a lot of driving through the city, I'm glad the schools decided to close for Tuesday. Being a parent myself, I was becoming nervous that little school kids would be walking in the streets to get to school. Dr. Alonso, face the facts, it's not safe yet!

So, now that we all have yet another day to ponder (yes dear readers, there is yet again no school tomorrow), one wonders when we decide to just get back to it. What is another 24 hours really going to do for us, for the city and for the kids? I know that attendance will be "janked" for both staff and students, but at some point we have to realize that it's time to get back to work. I don't believe that the state is going to move the test dates for MSA, and I don't trust that the state will "forgive:" the days that schools have missed. At what point do we cut our losses? How much time do we spend worrying and take away from the notice that we need to give families (of both students and teachers/staff) for the changes that are going to be necessary to make up the days we have missed? People need time to plan for this stuff.

After being trapped at home and spending lots of time sledding, it's time to get back to the work we have to do.

Schools are NOT ready to open. Many have no parking spaces plowed and will be telling teachers to park on the street (which in many cases is only one lane). Bus stops are piled high with snow, etc./ Example? As of this morning the Cold Spring light rail stop had not been dug out. Traffic is a mess-- to put the extra volume onto the street, along with kids. Dangerous.

This is a sure sign of what Rawlings-Blake is capable of-- it was such a cute photo opportunity to see her out there shoveling snow personally. She should have been shoveling the BS that others are leading her to.

Peace & Blessings!

Dr. Alonso and other city officials need to roll up their sleeves and lead by example. I believe Mr. Alonso is culturally off point when it comes to meeting the needs of the Baltimore City Children. I believe he doesn't understand and/or have access profound dynamics of life for Children here in our city. Peace!

Culturally off point? What is that supposed to mean? The "culture" of Baltimore City doesn't value increased test scores? The "culture" of Baltimore City isn't willing to pick up a snow shovel? Neither one of those is true, so I've got no idea what you are talking about.

I truly understand the Alonso passion and committment to the students but I KNOW he would not let the students of say...a more affluent district walk in the street or ask parents to shovel snow. It is already a mess when the streets are clear so imagine what it is when they are not. Time is NOW for all of the City Officials to really start caring about the overall well-being of the kids and not their own personal agenda....or bonuses.