AACO Officials Apologize After Decision Not To Close Schools Tuesday

MILLERSVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- The fallout continues following the decision from Anne Arundel County school officials to keep schools open despite bad weather.

Rick Ritter has more from officials on the controversial decision.

School officials admit they clearly made a mistake. Two students who were hospitalized in a bad weather-related accident are both back home. Their parents say they're lucky to be alive.

Meanwhile, the county executive says he remains confident that a situation like Tuesday won't happen again.

It's the talk of Anne Arundel County: Maryland's first snowfall of 2015 delivers more than a couple of inches, stirring up controversy statewide.

"Weather like this I know I'll never send my daughter to school again," said Tarina Mercer, parent.

A parent's worst nightmare became a reality: horrifying accidents left kids hospitalized. Now officials are under fire for not closing schools.

"They wanted us to go to school for one day and risk our lives, basically," student Jenna Mercer said.

Tuesday morning, two Northeast High School students--a brother and a sister--plowed into a tree. One student was hit by a car after slipping on ice. Jenna Mercer was hit by a truck.

"They couldn't turn because of all the snow that was piled up in the parking lot and they just went straight into the back of us. We kind of just spun out in the parking lot," she said.

Officials admit the decision not to close schools and delay start-times backfired--they even apologized.

The school's superintendent, George Arlotto, released this statement: "I'm sorry the morning turned out the way it did. In the end, the decision was mine, and if I had the same information at 4:45 that I had at 9:30 this morning, I would have made a different decision."

"They need to put somebody in charge that has their children's benefit, for the most part," said Tarina Mercer.

Now, Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh is weighing in.

Ritter: "After Tuesday, do you think you need to take school closings into your own hands?"

Schuh: "No, I don't. I don't think that we should have any involvement in the day-to-day operations of the schools."

Schuh says there won't be a next time.

"I'm pretty confident based on my discussions with the school board, with the superintendent, that a good lesson was learned yesterday," he said.

Anne Arundel County police responded to more than 270 accidents in less than 24 hours Tuesday. There were no fatalities in any of the accidents.

School officials sent students home with letters, letting them know that counselors would be available.

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