Safety concerns drive Indianapolis school closures during solar eclipse

April 8 will be the first time in over 800 years that Indianapolis will be in the path of totality during a total solar eclipse. 

All Marion County public schools have either canceled school or will be doing remote learning that Monday.

Indianapolis is one of several North American cities in the path of totality — that’s the narrow strip in which the moon entirely covers the sun, darkening the sky so that only the sun's corona is visible.

Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to come to Indianapolis for the event. The resulting traffic is one of the major reasons why Perry Township Schools chose to make April 8 a remote learning day, said Elizabeth Choi, director of communications for the district. 

The district is one of many within the 115-mile-wide path of totality — which includes states between Texas and Maine — that have chosen to cancel classes or teach students remotely that day. 

In part, that’s because the timing of the eclipse coincides with school dismissal in many districts; in Indianapolis, the eclipse will become visible around 1:50 p.m., totality will begin at about 3:06 p.m., and it will be over by 4:30 p.m.

“We are thinking about dismissal, students on buses, kids whose parents have picked them up, getting stuck in traffic, but also you obviously cannot look at the sun when this is happening without having the specialized glasses,” Choi said. “So we are thinking about that as well.”

Because school buildings are closed, parents will be responsible for making sure their kids wear solar eclipse glasses to protect their eyes.

Exposure to the sun without proper protection can permanently damage the eye's retina. It’s important to wear solar eclipse glasses during the partial phases — before and after totality. But during totality, which will last for just under four minutes, you’ll need to take the glasses off to see the sun’s corona. Totality is the only part of the eclipse that's safe to look at without them.
 

Marion County school districts plans for April 8:

• Indianapolis Public Schools — no school
• Perry Township Schools — remote learning day 
• Metropolitan School District of Washington Township — remote learning day
• Metropolitan School District of Warren Township — remote learning day
• Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township — no school
• School Town of Speedway — no school 
• Beech Grove City Schools — remote learning day
• Metropolitan School District of Pike Township — no school
• Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township — no school
• Franklin Township School Corporation — remote learning day 
• Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township — remote learning day 

Contact WFYI education reporter Lee V. Gaines at lgaines@wfyi.org.