As Sandy pummeled the east coast on Monday, Franklin High students, including myself, received an email that said the following: “All school facilities have power and we anticipate all schools to open on Tuesday.” Groans from students, freshmen and seniors alike, could be heard all around town.

Yet there was a hope. The e-mail continued to read “storm related absences will be excused.” Some Franklin High students read it as “show up to school if you want to, don’t show up if you don’t want to.”

Sure enough, first period, a stunning 13 students were missing from my class. In my next class, only 10 people were present.

So, why am I here? Maybe it’s because I love this school, maybe it’s because I enjoy waking up at six am, or maybe it’s because my mom made me. I didn’t lose any power or have any tress down, like most Franklin students, I just want to stay home. Even Tri-County got a two hour delay.

“I lost power” said junior Ashley Kennes “meaning my Wi-Fi was down, meaning I never got the e-mail that said we could stay home if we lost power!” And many other students had the same problem. “I was waiting for a phone call to say that they canceled school, but it never came” continued Kennes.

I noticed that it was mostly the kids who had power that went here on Tuesday. That could have been me!

At least the people without power could come to school, charge their phone, have a warm meal, and have a legitimate excuse for not doing their homework. The rest of us could have stayed home and watched hurricane aftermath coverage in our warm, cozy, electric-filled houses.

And because many people did not show up to school, many classes were turned into directed studies.

“I had four people in my chem class today” said sophomore Lauren Markland. Not to mention, people without power have to make up all the work they missed on the day off.

“I couldn’t make dinner and I didn’t want to do my home work without any power” said powerless junior Hannah Daily “now I have to make up all the work I missed Tuesday”

Even though we should not have had school Tuesday, many people were happy that we did have school because that means no extra make up days. But,  this year we were scheduled to have 183 days of school anticipating snow days. now we only have to go for 182 days.

No question, on Tuesday we should have missed school.