We, the students of Broward County Public Schools, respectfully call for the closure of schools during periods of extreme cold weather that pose real risks to student health, safety, and learning conditions.

South Florida is not built for cold extremes. Our schools, transportation systems, and daily routines are designed for heat- not near-freezing temperatures. Many classrooms lack adequate heating, buses are cold during early morning routes, and thousands of students wait outside in the dark before sunrise, exposed to unsafe conditions without proper winter clothing. Unlike colder regions, families here are not equipped with heavy coats, gloves, or thermal layers, and sudden cold snaps disproportionately affect younger students and those from vulnerable households.

Beyond physical discomfort, extreme cold disrupts students’ ability to focus, learn, and perform academically. Shivering in classrooms, numb hands during exams, and long waits outdoors are not conducive to education. School should be a place where students can learn safely- not endure preventable hardship.

This petition is not about convenience. It is about health, equity, and responsibility. Broward County has demonstrated leadership during hurricanes and extreme heat; we ask that the same care be extended during severe cold events that fall outside our region’s normal climate conditions.

As students, we are raising our voices because we are the ones directly affected. We are asking district leaders to adopt a clear, proactive policy that prioritizes student well-being when temperatures reach unsafe levels- whether through school closures, delayed starts, or remote learning alternatives.

Protecting students should always come first. We urge Broward County Public Schools to act with compassion, foresight, and common sense- and to stand with its students during extreme weather conditions that our community is not built to withstand.