HB1084

[Anonymous]

I have received no less than 3 emails asking me to sign petitions/letters to encourage the state legislature to pass this bill. I will not be signing and I hope this doesnt pass.

The bill carves out an exception for MCPS from every other school district in MD to not have a minimum number of days but only a minimum number of hours, in perpetuity. This is not just about this year, this is about how MCPS cares about our kids’ education into the future.

I’m frustrated as everyone else that MCPS is extending the school year until almost July, but simply exempting themselves out of requirements is not the solution. We need a better calendar. We need to recognize that not every group can get their holidays off (and I’m fully in favor of no group getting them off, including Christian holidays… and I’m not Christian, I’m Jewish for the record). We do not need to be reducing the amount of education available to our kids.

Do not sign the petitions and let your state reps know not to pass this bill.

[Anonymous]

Howard County has an exemption like this for this year. I support it, and have written my state delegation rather than sign a silly petition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Howard County has an exemption like this for this year. I support it, and have written my state delegation rather than sign a silly petition.

Howard used their makeup days and got a waiver… which is the existing procedure for all school districts. This bill is a carve out specifically for MCPS in perpetuity. Read the bill before supporting this — you’re making it easier for MCPS to close schools and never make up the time: https://legiscan.com/MD/text/HB1084/2026

[Anonymous]

I agree with you OP. Though I haven't seen any petitions about this. Certainly if it passes we would be grateful our child could still attend the camp we had planned that week which we were excited about. But if the school year is extended I assume it will be canceled as it is run by the Parks department. Long term though I think MCPS needs to plan for more school days in the calendar (by starting the school year earlier or ending it later, but in any case having more days planned for) and I don't understand why they have put us all in this position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Howard County has an exemption like this for this year. I support it, and have written my state delegation rather than sign a silly petition.

No, Howard County got a waiver from MSDE, which can be sought if you extend the year by three days. MCPS put in for a waiver after only adding two days, so it obviously got rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have received no less than 3 emails asking me to sign petitions/letters to encourage the state legislature to pass this bill. I will not be signing and I hope this doesnt pass.

The bill carves out an exception for MCPS from every other school district in MD to not have a minimum number of days but only a minimum number of hours, in perpetuity. This is not just about this year, this is about how MCPS cares about our kids’ education into the future.

I’m frustrated as everyone else that MCPS is extending the school year until almost July, but simply exempting themselves out of requirements is not the solution. We need a better calendar. We need to recognize that not every group can get their holidays off (and I’m fully in favor of no group getting them off, including Christian holidays… and I’m not Christian, I’m Jewish for the record). We do not need to be reducing the amount of education available to our kids.

Do not sign the petitions and let your state reps know not to pass this bill.

Completely agree. I've reached out to them as well.

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised the county and business aren’t complaining as they rely on our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Howard County has an exemption like this for this year. I support it, and have written my state delegation rather than sign a silly petition.

No, Howard County got a waiver from MSDE, which can be sought if you extend the year by three days. MCPS put in for a waiver after only adding two days, so it obviously got rejected.

My bad, its Anne Arundel! https://www.aacps.org/article/2490677

[Anonymous]

I am so freakin glad to be done with MCPS this spring. We moved here for the schools but it's just gone down hill rapidly in the past 10 years.

[Anonymous]

What a terrible bill. I hope this doesn't pass and I will be writing my legislators. And OP, don't you dare blame this on Muslim complaints that targeting Eid as the only make-up day to be used this year screwed up the calendar (particularly from your privileged position as a Jewish person whose religion has 3 days on the MCPS calendar).

The blame falls fully on MCPS which only put in 1 snow day into the calendar, put in 3 makeup days it didn't intend to use (including April 15 which the MCPS union blocked because teachers want that day off), and didn't submit a virtual learning plan for snow emergencies that it promised in 2024.

[Anonymous]

There is no point in having school on Christmas or New Year's. Too many teachers and students would not show up. It would be a useless day just like the days tacked on at the end. And that's also an issue for the Jewish holidays. I don't understand why anyone is proposing this as a solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a terrible bill. I hope this doesn't pass and I will be writing my legislators. And OP, don't you dare blame this on Muslim complaints that targeting Eid as the only make-up day to be used this year screwed up the calendar (particularly from your privileged position as a Jewish person whose religion has 3 days on the MCPS calendar).

The blame falls fully on MCPS which only put in 1 snow day into the calendar, put in 3 makeup days it didn't intend to use (including April 15 which the MCPS union blocked because teachers want that day off), and didn't submit a virtual learning plan for snow emergencies that it promised in 2024.

Where did I blame this on the Muslim community? I simply said that MCPS calendar cannot accommodate holidays for every group and to get rid of all of them, including mine and including Christian holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no point in having school on Christmas or New Year's. Too many teachers and students would not show up. It would be a useless day just like the days tacked on at the end. And that's also an issue for the Jewish holidays. I don't understand why anyone is proposing this as a solution.

If the concern is “equity” that’s the way to do it. It’s what MCPS is doing with everything else — if everyone can’t have it, no one can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no point in having school on Christmas or New Year's. Too many teachers and students would not show up. It would be a useless day just like the days tacked on at the end. And that's also an issue for the Jewish holidays. I don't understand why anyone is proposing this as a solution.

Winter break can still be winter break. Get rid of Good Friday and Easter Monday. Yes I know “state requirement” but that’s a bill I could support — making those available for makeup days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no point in having school on Christmas or New Year's. Too many teachers and students would not show up. It would be a useless day just like the days tacked on at the end. And that's also an issue for the Jewish holidays. I don't understand why anyone is proposing this as a solution.

Winter break can still be winter break. Get rid of Good Friday and Easter Monday. Yes I know “state requirement” but that’s a bill I could support — making those available for makeup days.

Yes, why don't you get right on that with your advocacy of changing that law that has been there for generations.

Or you could write the BOE and tell them it's important that MCPS put in more than 1 snow day into the calendar, and that it puts makeup days on the calendar that it intends to use. And that it submits the virtual learning plan for snow emergencies that it promised the BOE it would prepare in 2024. These 3 actions are more attainable.