Remember waking up to a fresh blanket of snow, school canceled, and a whole day to sled, play, and just be a kid? That’s vanishing across Indiana. Today, when snow shuts down roads and schools, our children aren’t getting a break—they’re getting logged into yet another day of Zoom school.

Indiana law allows school districts unlimited "synchronous" virtual learning days. That means even during power outages, freezing weather, or widespread emergencies, teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to attend class online with little notice. For many families, this turns a snow day into a crisis. Parents scramble to supervise lessons while trying to work, and teachers are forced to pivot overnight to digital platforms that still don’t serve students well.

We saw during the pandemic that e-learning doesn’t work for everyone—and certainly not for young kids or working families. Virtual school during emergencies creates more stress than learning, especially when teachers are stretched thin trying to manage live classes from home under difficult conditions.

New Jersey has already limited e-learning days unless schools are closed for multiple days. Indiana should do the same. We’re asking the Indiana General Assembly and the Indiana Department of Education to:

End the loophole that allows unlimited synchronous virtual days, and instead:

• Restore true snow days for short-term weather events
• Require school districts to build buffer days into their calendars, so families aren’t penalized with extra school in June
• Reserve e-learning only for extended emergencies—not a single snowstorm

Let’s stop pretending that hours of chaotic online learning during blizzards is good for kids. Snow days are part of childhood. They’re also a necessary break for parents and educators alike. It’s time to bring them back.