County school leaders stay by decision to not delay schools

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) –  The call to not delay or cancel classes in Brunswick County this morning did not sit well with parents.

Many did not take their kids to school or let them get on the buses because of flooding. The school system tells us by the time a call could be made to delay because of the weather, buses already had students on their way to schools.

“I can’t let my kid get on the bus with the roads like this. It’s not okay it’s not safe,” says parent Amy Clay.

It was the decision parents like Clary had to make when they saw this message from Brunswick County schools,  classes were not canceled nor delayed.

“I’m not going to jeopardize my kids safety for one day of class,” Clary says as she and her husband decided to let her two kids stay with Grandma for the day.

We went to school leaders about their decision.

They say by the time the rough weather hit, buses were on the road and the safest option was to stay the course.

“When they are already on the road there’s no way to adequately bring those children back home and drop them off so your better taking them to the school,” says the school system Superintendent Les Tubb.

Tubb adds that they based their decision on what Horry County schools did as well as took information from the National Weather Service. Regardless, some parents weren’t risking it and kept their kids at home for the day.

“The bus in front of me didn’t slow down, they splashed through it and the water literally splashed up to the windows,” says Clary.

Tubb says bus drivers also are trained for flooding and bad weather on the roads.

His office heard from several drivers who had to take detours around impassible roads.

“Safety of the kids is paramount and we were in contact with the buses the entire time,” says the superintendent.

The school system will not punish students who stayed home for the day.

“We’ll figure a way to make things up for them the kids to make up their work,” Tubb says.

Some parents also questioned if it was testing in some Elementary grades that led school leaders to make sure classes began on time. Tubb says the testing did not have weight in why they decided to keep the regular schedule.