A new low for the Kingston school district: Students being dismissed early today, and all afternoon exams canceled, because of an inch of snow on the ground, lingering flurries in the air and the sun peeking through.

This would be funny if not for the fact that it's Regents week.

January Regents often are taken by high schoolers who should have graduated at the end of the previous school year but didn't have enough credits to do so. Now, I assume, those kids will have to wait until June to take the tests (the state generally doesn't allow weather-canceled Regents to be made up immediately), meaning they'll get their diplomas yet another five months later than planned because of what may be the most foolish decision this school district has made in the 22 years I've lived here.

Whoever made the decision should be ashamed.