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Aug 28, 2023

Hurricane Idalia: Collier parents enraged over district staying open

Some Collier County parents are enraged after Hurricane Idalia tornado warnings delayed school release on Tuesday afternoon as heavy rains and flooding began impacting the county. Parents in pick-up

Some Collier County parents are enraged after Hurricane Idalia tornado warnings delayed school release on Tuesday afternoon as heavy rains and flooding began impacting the county.

Parents in pick-up lines waiting for the warnings to pass to pick up their children were frustrated with the delays. Others took to social media to voice their displeasure with the district for keeping schools open Tuesday and Wednesday.

Multiple tornado warnings Tuesday afternoon had students across the district hunkering down in classrooms. Warnings were in South Naples, Marco Island, Central Naples, Golden Gate, North Naples and parts of Golden Gate Estates, according to spokesman Chadwick Oliver.

"For those schools under a tornado warning, the students and staff are safe inside the schools, which are used as shelters," the district said in an emailed statement. "They are with school staff sheltering in hallways away from windows and avoiding outdoors until the weather warning passes. Those schools are holding dismissal until the warning expires."

Shelby Leigh, whose son attends Seagate Elementary, said her son's bus will be arriving over an hour later than usual due to weather delays. She said the district should have decided to close school.

"I don't think they're being very smart. I don't think they're taking the kids into consideration, or the teachers into consideration, or the parents," Leigh said. "I just think that superintendent needs to take things like this more seriously."

Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli said 93% of students attended school Tuesday and up until the last hour of the school day, when the weather started picking up, there weren't any concerns from parents.

"I empathize greatly with the people who are frustrated with the schools," said Superintendent Leslie Ricciardelli "I do feel very comfortable with the fact that we have really safe buildings. I hate that my teachers felt any stress or any students who might have gone through the trauma of last year, felt stressed."

More:Hurricane Idalia: Here is the latest news for Lee County and what to know

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Etienne Garconvil arrived at Avalon Elementary School on Thomasson Drive in East Naples as soon as he got the tornado warning around 2 p.m. to try and pick up his son, who's in second grade.

Instead of waiting in the car line, the school allowed parents to come to the front door.

Then when the tornado warning ended, a sheriff's deputy told the half dozen or more parents at the school entrance they had to go back to the car line.

"They kept sending us like three warnings," he said. "I came running down here to try and pick him up."

Garconvil believes school should have been cancelled Tuesday.

Kenny Perez, a godfather to a second grader, said: "Safety first all the way."

School officials declined to comment.

South Naples and Marco area schools were under the tornado warning the longest, according to Oliver. Other schools were under warnings for shorter periods of time.

"The outer bands of Hurricane Idalia caused us to adopt precautionary measures today," Oliver said. "For those schools who were under a tornado warning, the students and staff remained safe inside the schools, which are built to be used as shelters."

When the weather warnings were lifted at 2:29 p.m., the district resumed their typical inclement weather dismissal procedures, Oliver said.

Jennifer Cortes, an eighth-grader at Gulfview Middle School, said some kids were nervous.

"But mostly we were like chill," she said. "They let us contact our parents."

Parents also took to social media to complain about the school district choosing to keep schools open Tuesday and Wednesday in the midst of Hurricane Idalia.

"Shame on you Collier County Public School District!!! What about safety first! This is unacceptable for children safety," Kaylene Peña-Torres posted on the district's Facebook post regarding schools remaining open.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, the post had nearly 270 comments, most of which bashed the district's decision to remain open.

Many parents commented on the district's Facebook post to "do better," "shame on you," and "this is ridiculous."

The district initially said schools would be open Wednesday, however after Tuesday's evening update from the National Hurricane Center they decided to close schools.

Meanwhile neighboring Lee County Schools were closed Tuesday and Wednesday as well.