LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A House bill moving through Lansing would forgive ice storm-related school closures in northern Michigan, and it’s received unanimous support.

State Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan) is spearheading the House Bill 4345. He said students should not be forced to attend school into the summer months because of a catastrophic weather incident out of their control.  Michigan requires 180 days of instruction for public schools.

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“We talk over and over again about getting back to normal; there is nothing normal about making our kids sit in hot classrooms until July,” Cavitt said. “These kids sat at home for two weeks without power. They helped parents chop wood, clean up debris, keep pipes from freezing, and manage the overall disaster that was this ice storm. These kids did their part.” Cavitt added, “They shouldn’t lose a month of their summer break because of a situation entirely out of their control.”

Not all Michigan schools have the infrastructure, like air conditioning in the classroom, to be able to hold classes in the summer. House Bill 4345 targets the 2024-2025 school year and would allow local school boards to waive up to an additional 15 days of instruction instead of submitting a waiver to Lansing.

The school district must be located, at least partially, within a county covered by a state of emergency declared by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Those counties include Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle.

The plan now moves to the Senate for further consideration.