The Solution to the battle of days off with Hogan's calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spring break is entirely too long. The students shut down and they don't ever seem to get the chance to ramp back up before the end of the school year. This year, Howard County designated "Easter Monday" to be a snow makeup day (as well as President's day) and I would love to see more spring break days used that way. That's what they did when I was a kid here in Maryland. The problem is that it seems like everyone wants to go on cruises during spring break and the kids get pulled from school regardless. I don't know when spring break turned into cruise week. It wasn't like that when I was a kid.

+1 Especially when it runs in late April. 4th quarter is basically a crapshoot

[Anonymous]

I love the NYC PS:
http://schools.nyc.gov/Calendar/default.htm?mo=10&yr=2016

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of years ago, when the MCPS school board removed the names of religious holidays from the school calendar, they stated that it is their policy to only include religious holidays to the calendar if the student/teacher absentee rate exceeds 15%. This is why Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur were added many years ago. This is because public school systems cannot legally call a school holiday exclusively for religious purposes - it MUST be for operational reasons.

The school board made a terrible mistake last year when they reversed that policy and added Eid to the calendar as a professional day. They admitted when they did so that they wanted to honor the diversity of our county and that the absentee data did not support it. Notice that they are currently trying to get around that mistake by suggesting that the professional day on September 12 wasn't to honor a religious holiday and that it was simply a coincidence that it occurred on EID. I would imagine that the lawyers for MCPS went bananas when the school board made that decision and that they are becoming more frustrated now that the board is considering adding Diwali and Lunar New Year, because like EID, there is not an operational reason to do so.

I think it is vitally important that we honor the religious diversity of our students in MCPS, and we do so currently by allowing students and teachers to take excused absences when religious holidays occur. However, we simply cannot honor everyone of every religious faith by having a day off - there is not enough time in the school year to do so. By adding Eid to the calendar, the board has set a precedent that will most certainly result in inequity.

I believe we should collect new data on all of our religious holidays to ensure that they are meeting the 15% threshold. In addition, I think we should be lobbying the state to eliminate Good Friday and Easter Monday from the list of state holidays and only include them if they meet the 15% absentee benchmark. I am a religious person myself, but I understand that in a public school system, we simply cannot allow religion to dictate operations.

First, the area is not 15% Jewish. Second, there are many schools where the absentee rate for students is much more than 15% on Eid.

It's about 12% Jewish. High compared to other parts of the country. Some schools are much higher.

But to me that is not enough to have TWO days off for the rest of the 88%. And most of upcountry has 0% Jewish population. The county is too big.

And I personally like Hogan's new policy because it is making schools get rid of all the nonsense days off that parents have to take PPO for.

His policy is dumb though. Why should there be more weeks off in the summer when it's already too long for most kids? Seems better to have days off during the school year even if it inconveniences you (sorry you have to live in a diverse society).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A couple of years ago, when the MCPS school board removed the names of religious holidays from the school calendar, they stated that it is their policy to only include religious holidays to the calendar if the student/teacher absentee rate exceeds 15%. This is why Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur were added many years ago. This is because public school systems cannot legally call a school holiday exclusively for religious purposes - it MUST be for operational reasons.

The school board made a terrible mistake last year when they reversed that policy and added Eid to the calendar as a professional day. They admitted when they did so that they wanted to honor the diversity of our county and that the absentee data did not support it. Notice that they are currently trying to get around that mistake by suggesting that the professional day on September 12 wasn't to honor a religious holiday and that it was simply a coincidence that it occurred on EID. I would imagine that the lawyers for MCPS went bananas when the school board made that decision and that they are becoming more frustrated now that the board is considering adding Diwali and Lunar New Year, because like EID, there is not an operational reason to do so.

I think it is vitally important that we honor the religious diversity of our students in MCPS, and we do so currently by allowing students and teachers to take excused absences when religious holidays occur. However, we simply cannot honor everyone of every religious faith by having a day off - there is not enough time in the school year to do so. By adding Eid to the calendar, the board has set a precedent that will most certainly result in inequity.

I believe we should collect new data on all of our religious holidays to ensure that they are meeting the 15% threshold. In addition, I think we should be lobbying the state to eliminate Good Friday and Easter Monday from the list of state holidays and only include them if they meet the 15% absentee benchmark. I am a religious person myself, but I understand that in a public school system, we simply cannot allow religion to dictate operations.

First, the area is not 15% Jewish. Second, there are many schools where the absentee rate for students is much more than 15% on Eid.

It's about 12% Jewish. High compared to other parts of the country. Some schools are much higher.

But to me that is not enough to have TWO days off for the rest of the 88%. And most of upcountry has 0% Jewish population. The county is too big.

And I personally like Hogan's new policy because it is making schools get rid of all the nonsense days off that parents have to take PPO for.

His policy is dumb though. Why should there be more weeks off in the summer when it's already too long for most kids? Seems better to have days off during the school year even if it inconveniences you (sorry you have to live in a diverse society).

His policy will bring millions to the economy. That is not dumb. Giving 5-10% of the kids off for a holiday 90% don't celebrate. That is stupid.

[Anonymous]

FCPS parent here. And we have "winter break" that happens to encompass Christmas and spring break, that "happens" to to end on Good Friday. (plus most federal holidays and an incredible number of il-timed TWDs that are always clustered during the time of the year when kids are out for snore every other week). All other religious holidays are ex

[Anonymous]

^^ sorry, too soon. All other religious observances are excused absences. I like that MCPS seems more inclusive, but it seems like a logistical nightmare. Why can't MCPS follow the FCPS model, officially schedule no religious holidays and conveniently schedule winter and spring break?

I would add that our next door neighbors are very observant Muslims, and on Eid last year, their kids (one ES/one MS) went to school.

[Anonymous]

The calendar issues have. Outing to do with the Jewish holidays. NONE of the proposed calendars get rid of them. The choice is to start August 28th or to start after Labor Day and give up Spring break.

Others are a few people on this site who just can't see past the one or two days given off for other people's holidays to actually look at the proposed calendars and see what is being considered. Even if MCPS eliminated aged those holidays they would still have to sacrifice spring break.

[Anonymous]

Take a look at Howard County's 2016-2017 school calendar. They are using both President's Day and Easter Monday as snow contingency days. If we'd incorporate that into the proposed calendar for next year, along with making the third quarter teacher grading day into a snow contingency half day (the other half left for grading), we could eliminate the need to place snow contingency days during spring break. I realize Easter Monday is the end of our spring break, but using that day would still leave the WEEK of spring break intact. I really think placing snow contingency days during spring break is just a media ploy by the school board in order to get the public to oppose starting after Labor Day. They want to make it seem like we'll have to sacrifice so much by meeting the governor's executive order, when meeting his guidelines is really quite doable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS parent here. And we have "winter break" that happens to encompass Christmas and spring break, that "happens" to to end on Good Friday. (plus most federal holidays and an incredible number of il-timed TWDs that are always clustered during the time of the year when kids are out for snore every other week). All other religious holidays are ex

This works in FCPS because it is not diverse. You may now know it, but there is intense pressure to not admit your religion because nobody shares it in the community. Also, though your neighbor does not take kids out of school for eid, perhaps that is because the neighbor doesn't want the kids to miss school, even if it's excused. You are extremely arrogant and condescending to suggest that all other religions just get excused days off when yours should be given off as a rule by being "conveniently" placed with other breaks. That is institutionalized bigotry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In places I have lived before, they have the opposite solution: only have winter break over Christmas and separate spring break from any holidays at all. Don't get off any other religious holidays. The end.

That is what all non-secular private schools do. End of 3rd quarter is Spring Break in late March, which makes sense. Most of the time it does not line up with Passover or Easter.

Not sure why MCPS can't do this. Oh wait, that is right. The stupid state rule of Good Friday and Easter Monday for public schools. I am a Catholic and find it ridiculous and I personally don't want my Spring Break around Easter nor do I want the kids out of school for 11 straight days. Take your kids out of school if Good Friday is that important for your family. Easter Monday? Completely made up.

+1 and also Catholic. The week and a half for spring break is ridiculous.

I don't understand all the whining about starting after Labor Day. Our kids get a ton of random days off so this proposal will allow is to tighten up our calendar.

[Anonymous]

+1

Our kids get a ton of random days off so this proposal will allow is to tighten up our calendar.

[Anonymous]

The proposal makes Spring Break an Easter Break. It is now more focused on religion, not less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS parent here. And we have "winter break" that happens to encompass Christmas and spring break, that "happens" to to end on Good Friday. (plus most federal holidays and an incredible number of il-timed TWDs that are always clustered during the time of the year when kids are out for snore every other week). All other religious holidays are ex

This works in FCPS because it is not diverse. You may now know it, but there is intense pressure to not admit your religion because nobody shares it in the community. Also, though your neighbor does not take kids out of school for eid, perhaps that is because the neighbor doesn't want the kids to miss school, even if it's excused. You are extremely arrogant and condescending to suggest that all other religions just get excused days off when yours should be given off as a rule by being "conveniently" placed with other breaks. That is institutionalized bigotry.

FCPS is not diverse? wow, must have changed since I went to school in FCPS because it was quite diverse 20 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS parent here. And we have "winter break" that happens to encompass Christmas and spring break, that "happens" to to end on Good Friday. (plus most federal holidays and an incredible number of il-timed TWDs that are always clustered during the time of the year when kids are out for snore every other week). All other religious holidays are ex

This works in FCPS because it is not diverse. You may now know it, but there is intense pressure to not admit your religion because nobody shares it in the community. Also, though your neighbor does not take kids out of school for eid, perhaps that is because the neighbor doesn't want the kids to miss school, even if it's excused. You are extremely arrogant and condescending to suggest that all other religions just get excused days off when yours should be given off as a rule by being "conveniently" placed with other breaks. That is institutionalized bigotry.

FCPS is not diverse? wow, must have changed since I went to school in FCPS because it was quite diverse 20 years ago.

FCPS | MCPS
White 63.5% 30.3%
Hispanic/Latino 14.3% 29.1%
Black/African American 11.4% 21.4%
Asian/Asian American 5.2% 14.2%
Native American 0.2% 0.2%
Multiracial 4.9% 4.8%

Staff diversity is not reported clearly in FCPS and not consolidated by MCPS

I'd bet that religious diversity is even more homogenous in FPCS.