Canceling class for bad weather or even poor air quality? Sure. But a solar eclipse day? That might be a first.
A New Jersey school district is getting some shade over its plans for the solar eclipse in April, as it intends to send students home early that day.
The Livingston School District decided to shorten the school day for Monday, April 8, letting kids out earlier due to concerns that the eclipse could pose health and safety risks.
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Even as many see the eclipse as a jaw-dropping celestial experience, district officials see it as a day to proceed with caution. The district’s superintendent sent out a letter to parents and students alerting them that students will have a half day at that time because the timing of solar eclipse directly aligns with the typical dismissal time.
"Unless children are properly supervised, they could be drawn to look at the eclipse, and would likely do so that day at dismissal. Without the proper equipment, this can cause damage to their eyes," the superintendent said in the letter.
The district says they’re looking out for the adults too, adding that parents and bus drivers might get distracted or become disoriented by the glare when picking and dropping kids off.
"I think its wonderful that they were proactive to be able to do this. Get the kids out early, get them in a safe space," said Shari Miller, a mother of two who lives in the town. "I’m on a mom chat with all these senior moms, and some of the moms asked 'Doesn’t this seem ridiculous or laughable?' And I said I think its wonderful."
Miller did say that it is a missed opportunity for kids to experience a lesson in astronomy – but only if the proper eyewear were to be available.
"I think it would be cool for them to all be there and see it as a group," the mother said.
But the district is hardly an outlier when compared to others across the country: Some districts in Texas, Ohio and upstate New York are going a step further and cancelling school all together on April 8.
