Fearing Election Day trouble, some US schools cancel classes

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press

FALMOUTH, Maine (AP) — Rigged elections. Vigilante observers. Angry voters. The claims, threats and passions surrounding the presidential race have led communities around the U.S. to move polling places out of schools or cancel classes on Election Day. The fear is that the ugly rhetoric of the campaign could escalate into confrontations and even violence in school hallways, endangering students.

“If anybody can sit there and say they don’t think this is a contentious election, then they aren’t paying much attention,” said Ed Tolan, police chief in this seaside community, which decided to call off classes on Election Day and put additional officers on duty Nov. 8.

School officials already are on edge because of the shootings and threats that have become all too common. They point to the recent firebombing of a Republican Party office in one North Carolina county and the shooting-up of another with a BB gun as the type of trouble they fear on Election Day.

Some of those anxieties have been stoked by Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the election is rigged and his appeal to his supporters to stand guard against fraud at the polls. Some are worried about clashes between the self-appointed observers and voters.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2016/10/25/fearing-election-day-trouble-some-us-schools-cancel-classes/

[TonyPDX]

1. Oh for the love of Pete. They CAN'T be serious.

[FailureToCommunicate]

14. Nothing new really. Schools are closed statewide in 10 states...

Schools are closed statewide in 10 states: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

In Western Massachusetts, several school districts are closed on Election Day. Some are closed because some of the schools are used as polling sites.

[TonyPDX]

16. What a freaking shame. I believe this is about suppressing turnout, not an abundance of caution.

[FailureToCommunicate]

17. Voter suppression? This has been common practice for many elections nationwide...

here's a report from 2008:

"Nationwide, states and school districts follow a patchwork of policies on whether public schools are open or closed on Election Day. Legislators and officials consider factors that include concerns about student safety and security threats and a simple desire to avoid operational headaches."

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/10/29/10closings.h28.html

[Yonnie3]

19. Many public schools in Virginia have a teacher work day on election day.

I don't know if this is state wide. Polling places near me are schools and I have never had students there when I voted. As you say, nothing new.

[stone space]

2. Probably not a good idea to run NRA candidates when voting is done in schools. Not a good mix. (nt)

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

4. This is dumb

The kids should go to school like they always have on election day. What's up with them in Falmouth anyhow? What's stopping the violence now or even after the election? Why would election day be any worse? I hope they don't do this in my city. I haven't heard anything anyhow.

On edit... unless the polling place is the school... OK I could see that because it will probably be crazy... too many people to have school at the sametime. Usually the polling place is some place other than the school, but some places use school buildings as polling places.

[gordianot]

5. I know this has been posted here many times

See link: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/12/05/is-it-true-that-the-rnc-cant-challenge-voter-fraud/

The Republican Party made an agreement 30 years ago with the Democrat Party NOT to ensure voting integrity and NOT to pursue suspected vote fraud.

Yes. You read it correctly.

In fact, legally the GOP cannot ensure voting integrity, nor can it prevent vote fraud.[...]

In 1981, during the gubernatorial election in New Jersey (NJ), a lawsuit was brought against the RNC, the NJ Republican State Committee (RSC), and three individuals (John A. Kelly, Ronald Kaufman, and Alex Hurtado), accusing them of violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 1971, 1973, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States.[...]

To settle the lawsuit, in 1982, the RNC and RSC entered into an agreement or Consent Decree, which is national in scope, limiting the RNC’s ability to engage or assist in voter fraud prevention unless the RNC obtains the court’s approval in advance.

[annabanana]

6. Rachel went over this at length on last night's show..

RNC is worried that they'll spend another 8 years in the wilderness because of Trump's encouragement of this nonsense.,..

(It's set to finally expire on Dec 1 of this year)

[Patiod]

9. Thank you for that reference - went and looked it up

Needed something to bide time at work while I wait for a project to start, so I watched the Crazy Eddie video. Did not know any of that. Didn't know Trump's brother-in-law was on the losing side of the lawsuit that resulted in an order against the Republicans not to do any of that race-based voter intimidation.

Didn't realize how awful the Republican behavior was in that race, and how because of that, they are simply NOT ALLOWED to do any of what Trump is asking them to do.

[annabanana]

11. Thanks goodness for Rachel Maddow

The Queen of Context!

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

7. In Maine it is because the school is the polling place

That's understandable. Two schools are closing on election day in my city, but they are not the schools my kids go to (lucky for me).

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/10/22/some-maine-schools-with-polling-stations-opt-to-close-on-election-day/

[DemInND]

8. Kind of makes sense...

I think there will be some pockets of violence breaking out when Hillary defeats Trump. Of course, you can thank Trump for that...he's building up the hate in his "base" and working them up into a furor. Kind of like Hitler did when he spoke. Instead of "heil" to Trump, everyone should wave the "finger".

[shawn703]

10. Schools have been closed every Election Day where I live in VA

Has been that way as long as I can remember.

[mainer]

13. Election day should be a national holiday. So people can vote.

I have no problem with closing the schools, so teachers and staff can exercise their rights as voters.

[treestar]

15. Schools are closed here because they

are the polling places!

[Maeve]

18. Central Ohio schools are closed for presidential elections

Since many are polling places, the disruption is massive. I've seen it both ways--schools opened and closed and closed is better for the big elections.Also makes for easier parking.

[Warren DeMontague]

20. it should be a national holiday.