Is Wake school system too big? Why district says it has countywide snow days.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Parents criticize countywide snow closures, calling Wake County schools too large
- District defends countywide approach, citing safety and uniform inclement weather policy
- Wake is NC’s largest district with 160,000 students across 857 square miles
Just about any time that the Wake County school system declares a snow day it’s met by complaints from some parents who say the district is too large.
This week has been no exception with some people questioning Wake’s decision to close Monday due to “impending inclement weather” and Tuesday due to the “threat of black ice.” One of the most often cited complaints is that Wake County shouldn’t have to cancel classes countywide when some areas receive little snow or no snow at all.
“Who is actually responsible in #WCPSS about making school closure decisions?” Ryan McAward, a Wake parent, posted Monday on X, previously Twitter. “I get that safety is paramount but many decisions in the last year have been questionable. The district is too big and they are too scared of being sued. Who can we voice our opinions to? School board?”
Wake will close individual schools for the day if they’re having HVAC issues. But during inclement weather, Wake closes all schools, not just those in areas directly impacted by snow or hurricanes.
Wake is North Carolina’s largest school district and one of the largest systems in the nation. It has more than 160,000 students in a county spanning 857 square miles.
Wake’s defense of countywide snow days
In 2018, the Wake County school system posted a lengthy thread on Twitter about inclement weather and the benefits of having countywide schools. The social media post went viral with Wake’s defense of having diverse schools.
Here are some of the reasons Wake gave for closing all schools during inclement weather:
- “When inclement weather strikes, it’s usually regional and affects multiple counties. Evidence for this: When we close, usually all neighboring districts do as well.”
- “Lots of reasons for this phenomenon. Our beautiful pines trees are one. They shade residential streets and prevent the sun from melting the snow. (Remember, our school buses are primarily traveling on residential roads.)”
- “Black ice is another. If you are new to this area, you may not have experienced black ice yet. It’s not the same as driving in the snow up north. It’s deadly and not worth the risk.”
- “Also, keep in mind that many teachers don’t work in the towns where they live. We have to consider what would happen if we opened a school to students but couldn’t provide teachers, bus drivers and the other staff necessary to run a school. We also have to consider the safety of those staff members.”
- “In addition, a large number of students choose to attend schools in towns/cities that are not near their homes. If we closed schools by towns, how would the students who don’t live in those towns be affected?”
Wake’s defense of countywide school system
But Wake said in that thread that the “very, very, very important reason” why it’s a countywide system is that “it’s the foundation of our success as a community.”
“It is the reason our community has prospered. It’s why our taxes are low,” Wake said in the post. “It’s what attracted many of you to move here. It is why all of our schools are good schools.”
Wake linked to an article from journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones on the resegregation of Jefferson County Schools in Alabama.
Many Wake County newcomers come from areas where schools are run at the town level and not on a county level. A commenter said Wake could have town-based school districts like the Northeast.
“The Northeast has some of our nation’s most segregated school districts. No thank you,” Wake replied in 2018.
While Wake’s efforts to maintain school diversity have continued to face challenges, diversity and equity remain part of the district’s strategic plan. In 2026, the district will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the merger of the Wake County and Raleigh City Schools.
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 11:52 AM.
