Perfect attendance is a difficult thing to uphold, and sometimes we just need a day off from school. As the winter weather rolls in, everyone’s hope rises as the possibility for snow days and two-hour delays increases.

In mid-December and the early weeks of January, Montgomery County experienced some snow, ice, and extremely cold temperatures. Naturally, many were praying for MCPS to announce that there would be no school; however, some did more than just pray as they took to social media to express their opinions on the matter.

To stay connected with everybody in the county, MCPS (@MCPS) and Superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr (@mcpssuper) have Twitter accounts. While some students tweeted harmless and humorous comments to these accounts in an attempt to inspire the delay/cancellation process, others took it too far. Dr. Starr received inappropriate and even threatening tweets. The harsh tweets began with the snow storm in mid-December, even though the county did announce that school would be closed, and occurred again in early January after MCPS announced that schools would be opening on time when it would be only seven degrees outside. It was at these times when the backlash against the county and the superintendent poured in. Even parents expressed their extreme disapproval with several, even saying they would not send their child to school regardless of the county’s decision.

“I think for the most part, it was just teens being teens,” says senior Nhi Le. “They were just acting out behind their phone screens.” Seeing these harsh tweets as a case of cyberbullying, Dr. Starr sent out a county-wide email to parents on the subject of “cybercivility.” His email stated, “We need to talk about ‘cybercivility’: how we can help our children grow into responsible and caring adults who interact with one another in a civil, respectful way.” In the email, Dr. Starr responded to the tweets he received and commented that he understood that the inappropriate comments were made “without thinking” of the consequences. Dr. Starr also urged parents to emphasize the importance of “what’s appropriate and not appropriate to do online.”

“Everyone should remember to be respectful,” says sophomore Ama Sakyi. “I think it’s really rude to insult people online, especially if you wouldn’t do it in person.”

As more possible snow days approach, MCPS is hoping that students have been encouraged to think before they speak. If any students, staff, or parents are concerned about decisions made by MCPS, they can contact various offices and staff members found on the Montgomery County Public Schools’ website.