Proposed APS Calendar Policy

[Anonymous]

I don’t know if this has been posted yet but I think APS is going to have legal issues as they apparently have zero operational justifications (unlike FCPS where my kids go) for their public school to be closed for religious holidays. Establishment clause much? https://vimeo.com/825863440

[Anonymous]

Feedback here: https://www.apsva.us/engage/policies-for-revision-amendment/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if this has been posted yet but I think APS is going to have legal issues as they apparently have zero operational justifications (unlike FCPS where my kids go) for their public school to be closed for religious holidays. Establishment clause much? https://vimeo.com/825863440

That's a 2+ hour video, can you share what time point in that video is relevant to your comment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if this has been posted yet but I think APS is going to have legal issues as they apparently have zero operational justifications (unlike FCPS where my kids go) for their public school to be closed for religious holidays. Establishment clause much? https://vimeo.com/825863440

That's a 2+ hour video, can you share what time point in that video is relevant to your comment?

Durán was the first one to go. I think calendar was around 15 min in.

[Anonymous]

Actually make that 12/13 min in. Religious holidays were chosen after discussion with religious leaders.

[Anonymous]

Losing educational time solely in the name of diversity and grading “for equity” reinforces my belief that APS has priorities that differ from my own. While I believe in diversity and equity, I guess my limit is sacrificing students at these altars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually make that 12/13 min in. Religious holidays were chosen after discussion with religious leaders.

Thank you. Although he didn't cite operational decisions, I suspect most of our problem is that FCPS has those holidays off and it would create a teacher shortage problem. It's why APS is always chasing FCPS calendar. I wish they'd just be transparent about that.

It's pretty BS to suggest that having religious holidays off serves as an education about those holidays. If they want to have education around those holidays, they should have school those days and actually educate about those holidays.

[Anonymous]

APS, just one lawsuit away from bankruptcy at all times. First it was EL students. Now it’s going to be picking religious holidays based on nothing but religion.

[Anonymous]

Next up it’s missing compensatory services for students with IEPS. Why isn’t ASEAC talking about that? Didn’t FCPS just get an OCR complaint on this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually make that 12/13 min in. Religious holidays were chosen after discussion with religious leaders.

Thank you. Although he didn't cite operational decisions, I suspect most of our problem is that FCPS has those holidays off and it would create a teacher shortage problem. It's why APS is always chasing FCPS calendar. I wish they'd just be transparent about that.

It's pretty BS to suggest that having religious holidays off serves as an education about those holidays. If they want to have education around those holidays, they should have school those days and actually educate about those holidays.

FCCPS decided not to take them off. Surely some of their teachers are impacted by Fairfax calendars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like I'm in the minority here but I have a middle schooler and all the random days off are really nice for recharging, extra time to finish homework/study, extra days to sleep in, etc.

What homework?! What studying? "review" and "homework" are mostly done in class.
BTW, medical studies have shown it is better for one's health to keep the same sleep pattern and not "sleep in" on the weekends or random other days.

I don't know, my kid does have homework and tests to study for... Maybe he's slacking off in class?

I know it's better to keep the same sleep pattern (I do so myself) but not always realistic to get teens to do it.

MY kid also has HW and tests to study for. He is in 5th grade. His teacher send home study guides and we study for his tests together and he typically has a few math assignments a week and a big project due every couple weeks in English or Spanish.

[Anonymous]

This calendar is very unfair to teachers. They are extending the academic school year and shortening the summer. Many teachers, myself included, have summer jobs to supplement income. And to do this in the name of religion is concerning for a public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually make that 12/13 min in. Religious holidays were chosen after discussion with religious leaders.

Thank you. Although he didn't cite operational decisions, I suspect most of our problem is that FCPS has those holidays off and it would create a teacher shortage problem. It's why APS is always chasing FCPS calendar. I wish they'd just be transparent about that.

It's pretty BS to suggest that having religious holidays off serves as an education about those holidays. If they want to have education around those holidays, they should have school those days and actually educate about those holidays.

I think you are right that this is the concern, but I am wondering about that, since Fairfax's SACC is open on those days. (Right? I just checked their calendar, and it looks like they have care -- even over the winter break, but that's a different story.) So, APS teachers living in Fairfax would have childcare available to them on days when Fairfax schools are closed but APS is open.

Looking at Fairfax's SACC site, it makes me a little angry that APS is taking the stance that we have to follow Fairfax when we (APS) do not provide parents with the care on those days off that Fairfax does. I mean, how are leaders not taking this into account?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This calendar is very unfair to teachers. They are extending the academic school year and shortening the summer. Many teachers, myself included, have summer jobs to supplement income. And to do this in the name of religion is concerning for a public school.

Make sure you tell them. There’s court rulings on this and schools are supposed to have an operational justification for recognizing religious holidays. Not “I talked to religious leaders”.

And they can’t hide behind fcps because falls church is going the other way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually make that 12/13 min in. Religious holidays were chosen after discussion with religious leaders.

Thank you. Although he didn't cite operational decisions, I suspect most of our problem is that FCPS has those holidays off and it would create a teacher shortage problem. It's why APS is always chasing FCPS calendar. I wish they'd just be transparent about that.

It's pretty BS to suggest that having religious holidays off serves as an education about those holidays. If they want to have education around those holidays, they should have school those days and actually educate about those holidays.

I think you are right that this is the concern, but I am wondering about that, since Fairfax's SACC is open on those days. (Right? I just checked their calendar, and it looks like they have care -- even over the winter break, but that's a different story.) So, APS teachers living in Fairfax would have childcare available to them on days when Fairfax schools are closed but APS is open.

Looking at Fairfax's SACC site, it makes me a little angry that APS is taking the stance that we have to follow Fairfax when we (APS) do not provide parents with the care on those days off that Fairfax does. I mean, how are leaders not taking this into account?

That’s a great point . Fcps has sacc and they are open on those days (but APS extended day will be closed). Fcps is not an operational issue for APS.