Ref post number one from joby, if anynone can remember what it was.
My comments to this original post are:-
We have family who have lived in various parts of Canada during the past 15 years. During that time a school has never been closed due to bad weather.
All children have to play outside during break times unless the temperature, not including wind-chill, falls below minus 18C.
I don't think children today are given the opportunity to assess risks as we were. As an example, I have a certificate form the RSPCA recording the fact that at the age of 14 years I rescued a dog from the ice covered canal (which passed by the bottom of our garden). One reason that I was able to carry out this rescue was due to the fact I had learnt to swim in the canal from a very early age. If children today were caught swimming in the canal today their parents would probably end up in court on a H & S or child cruelty charge.