After Tropical Storm Fay closed them down just after the first day of
classes, several Florida school districts asked education commissioner
Eric J. Smith (left) to waive the days off, essentially shortening the school year.

Not gonna happen, Smith says.

In a letter to superintendents, the commissioner acknowledged that he could
waive up to three days from the 180-day calendar. But because the year
is young, and the hurricane season is far from over, he told the
districts to "utilize existing flexibility" (read: use some scheduled
planning days) to make up the lost time.

Smith suggested he might reconsider later in the year. Pinellas,
Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando lost just one day. Other Florida
districts were closed almost a week.