$700,000 a day; can't they collaborate

Another weather-related closing will shutter district schools tomorrow. Each day the doors remain closed equals $700,000 in lost ... well, lost, whatever it is that they do? Where can the taxpayer get a rebate on his $30 per day piece of this waste?

The staff and administration claim that collaboration is the key to success, so why not collaborate on the days the schools are closed due to bad weather. Oh, wait, that's right, the staff remains at home and only the most intrepid administrator is bound to do a day's work for a day's pay. The rest can simply wait out the cold by claiming that conditions are not safe for them to venture out with the rest of the morning commuters.

So, district employees get a free day, and we, the taxpayers, have to pay additional salary days for teacher collaboration - whether it's additional days for curriculum development or partial day release periods where students go home so that teachers can collaborate - which has always begged the question: Collaborate on what?.

Obviously, collaboration can't be that important. At least it doesn't appear that district staff consider it more important than the day off watching "Price is Right."

I'm lost ... I thought they wanted to be treated as professionals. Oh, well ...