How to fit school days into Gov Larry Hogan's ridiculous policy on school start and stop dates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The legislature needs to change the law to allow schools to operate on Easter Monday, MLK Day and Presidents' Day. Hogan has said he would sign legislation that allows schools to be open the Monday after Easter. Not sure about the other two days but it seems reasonable.

Maybe MCPS should be writing to the legislature instead of Hogan.

And the Friday before Easter too, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The legislature needs to change the law to allow schools to operate on Easter Monday, MLK Day and Presidents' Day. Hogan has said he would sign legislation that allows schools to be open the Monday after Easter. Not sure about the other two days but it seems reasonable.

Maybe MCPS should be writing to the legislature instead of Hogan.

And the Friday before Easter too, right?

Isn't that a religious holiday? I know that the Monday after isn't and MLK and President's day aren't religious holidays either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The legislature needs to change the law to allow schools to operate on Easter Monday, MLK Day and Presidents' Day. Hogan has said he would sign legislation that allows schools to be open the Monday after Easter. Not sure about the other two days but it seems reasonable.

Maybe MCPS should be writing to the legislature instead of Hogan.

And the Friday before Easter too, right?

Isn't that a religious holiday? I know that the Monday after isn't and MLK and President's day aren't religious holidays either.

Yes, it is. So what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Jewish holidays should be the first to go. If it means that much then pull your kids.
Next should be winter break - only need to have Christmas and New Years off. If you want more days pull your kids
Might as well do away with President's Day as well, soon enough that day will go the way of Columbus Day.

Then you need to change state law, which requires schools to close between December 24 and January 1.

Love how the teachers union lobbied for that.

And here we are. Teachers union paid federal and national and professional holidays versus religious holidays.

Are you an idiot? Those days off are not paid. Teachers get paid based on the number of "working days," whether nonworking days intercede.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, it's because the governor cares more about saving money for the state and residents than about one very entitled school district. The tax savings from Ocean City, Annapolis and Baltimore (all of which benefited significantly from the extra week of summer holiday traffic) will be used to offset spending increases so that taxes statewide will not be increased. Montgomery County is the wealthiest county and the one where the majority of the county will not feel a huge pinch if taxes increase yet again. Hogan specifically said that the extra revenue would be used to keep from raising taxes to offset increased state government spending and to avoid cutting programs or decreasing budgets (including school budgets across the state) and still balancing the budget without tax increases. While other school districts may have issues with adhering to the schedule, all are making the compromises to do so, without complaining and whining about it like the wealthy Montgomery County. The revenue to offset increased spending statewide without raising taxes is popular, hence so is the move.

+1000 - get over yourselves people. I know that being a victim is incredibly popular in society these days. But, seriously, think about it. Is this really such a horrible thing? If anybody is truly worried about the loss of learning time, extend the school day 15 minutes like a previous poster said. I don't think this is really about the kids. This thread is about a bunch of rich MoCo liberals who are unhappy with anything their (very popular) republican governor does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, it's because the governor cares more about saving money for the state and residents than about one very entitled school district. The tax savings from Ocean City, Annapolis and Baltimore (all of which benefited significantly from the extra week of summer holiday traffic) will be used to offset spending increases so that taxes statewide will not be increased. Montgomery County is the wealthiest county and the one where the majority of the county will not feel a huge pinch if taxes increase yet again. Hogan specifically said that the extra revenue would be used to keep from raising taxes to offset increased state government spending and to avoid cutting programs or decreasing budgets (including school budgets across the state) and still balancing the budget without tax increases. While other school districts may have issues with adhering to the schedule, all are making the compromises to do so, without complaining and whining about it like the wealthy Montgomery County. The revenue to offset increased spending statewide without raising taxes is popular, hence so is the move.

+1000 - get over yourselves people. I know that being a victim is incredibly popular in society these days. But, seriously, think about it. Is this really such a horrible thing? If anybody is truly worried about the loss of learning time, extend the school day 15 minutes like a previous poster said. I don't think this is really about the kids. This thread is about a bunch of rich MoCo liberals who are unhappy with anything their (very popular) republican governor does.

And instead of coming up with a rational solution to their "problem", MCPS will instead use it as an opportunity to punish students hoping they can get parents angry enough to vote out the republican governor. The kids are just pawns in the world of politics, power, and money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, it's because the governor cares more about saving money for the state and residents than about one very entitled school district. The tax savings from Ocean City, Annapolis and Baltimore (all of which benefited significantly from the extra week of summer holiday traffic) will be used to offset spending increases so that taxes statewide will not be increased. Montgomery County is the wealthiest county and the one where the majority of the county will not feel a huge pinch if taxes increase yet again. Hogan specifically said that the extra revenue would be used to keep from raising taxes to offset increased state government spending and to avoid cutting programs or decreasing budgets (including school budgets across the state) and still balancing the budget without tax increases. While other school districts may have issues with adhering to the schedule, all are making the compromises to do so, without complaining and whining about it like the wealthy Montgomery County. The revenue to offset increased spending statewide without raising taxes is popular, hence so is the move.

+1000 - get over yourselves people. I know that being a victim is incredibly popular in society these days. But, seriously, think about it. Is this really such a horrible thing? If anybody is truly worried about the loss of learning time, extend the school day 15 minutes like a previous poster said. I don't think this is really about the kids. This thread is about a bunch of rich MoCo liberals who are unhappy with anything their (very popular) republican governor does.

And instead of coming up with a rational solution to their "problem", MCPS will instead use it as an opportunity to punish students hoping they can get parents angry enough to vote out the republican governor. The kids are just pawns in the world of politics, power, and money.

YES

[Anonymous]

BOE has voted to write a letter to the Governor to ask for an extension of the school/year to June 22. Good idea in my book - water's too cold in June!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The legislature needs to change the law to allow schools to operate on Easter Monday, MLK Day and Presidents' Day. Hogan has said he would sign legislation that allows schools to be open the Monday after Easter. Not sure about the other two days but it seems reasonable.

Maybe MCPS should be writing to the legislature instead of Hogan.

And the Friday before Easter too, right?

Isn't that a religious holiday? I know that the Monday after isn't and MLK and President's day aren't religious holidays either.

Yes, it is. So what?

yes, no more easter Monday, good Friday, MLK, Prez Day, Columbus Day, Professional goof-off days, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Eid off for the whole school district.

If Good Friday or Rosh Hashanah is important to you, take a vacation day to pray, worship, fast, celebrate with your family in your homes and churches and temples. There should not be pushback for that, plus in most cases the parents are taking off of work as well. Now instead you can't "blame" the public school district for not being able to work and having a Fun Day Shopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
And instead of coming up with a rational solution to their "problem", MCPS will instead use it as an opportunity to punish students hoping they can get parents angry enough to vote out the republican governor. The kids are just pawns in the world of politics, power, and money.

How is MCPS punishing students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to agree with the professional day elimination. It's a day of team building and training, which really is more of a big potluck and activities.

Nice to have bit not necessary. I also hope people know that teachers don't teach for the whole day above elementary school. They have two or three periods to grade.

Those are called planning periods, not grading periods. They are for planning and meetings.

So EVERY day they plan and meet for 1.5 to 3 hours? Don't think so. Time to reign in the convenience of teacher holidays at the expense of the constitutent's children's education. Most people work 9 to 5, 8 to 4. Teachers aren't putting in an unreasonable work day.

Really? I have never in my life had a strictly 8 hour a day job. I've always been required to take 30min-1hr for my unpaid lunch. Based on conversations with friends who work in different industries, that is common. The 9-5:30, or 8-5 work day is the common one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Jewish holidays should be the first to go. If it means that much then pull your kids.
Next should be winter break - only need to have Christmas and New Years off. If you want more days pull your kids
Might as well do away with President's Day as well, soon enough that day will go the way of Columbus Day.

Then you need to change state law, which requires schools to close between December 24 and January 1.

Love how the teachers union lobbied for that.

And here we are. Teachers union paid federal and national and professional holidays versus religious holidays.

Are you an idiot? Those days off are not paid. Teachers get paid based on the number of "working days," whether nonworking days intercede.

Now I'm confused. what days off during non-summer months are not paid for teachers? I assumed all days off during the school year are paid. I also agree with the various PP's this has deliberately gotten political and parties are trying to make trouble with religious groups to fight Hogan over the school calendar puzzle. Yet professional days and Columbus/Martin Luther/President's days are not on the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

yes, no more easter Monday, good Friday, MLK, Prez Day, Columbus Day, Professional goof-off days, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Eid off for the whole school district.

If Good Friday or Rosh Hashanah is important to you, take a vacation day to pray, worship, fast, celebrate with your family in your homes and churches and temples. There should not be pushback for that, plus in most cases the parents are taking off of work as well. Now instead you can't "blame" the public school district for not being able to work and having a Fun Day Shopping.

For the gazillionth time -- Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not off because they're religious holidays. They're off because MCPS believes, based on information that may or not be valid anymore, that, if there were school on those days, there would be more teacher absences than they can get subs for.

Now, arguably, the same reason might apply for Good Friday (although I think it's unlikely).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Now I'm confused. what days off during non-summer months are not paid for teachers? I assumed all days off during the school year are paid. I also agree with the various PP's this has deliberately gotten political and parties are trying to make trouble with religious groups to fight Hogan over the school calendar puzzle. Yet professional days and Columbus/Martin Luther/President's days are not on the table.

Yes, you are confused. Professional days ARE on the table. MCPS has school on Columbus Day. And state law requires all public schools to close for MLK Day and President's Day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd be fine having school on Presidents Day and MLK day. No reason for kids to be out of school on those days.

Us too. We want a week long winter break and a week long spring break. If we have a family gathering around a high holiday, we will take those days off of work and school. No problem.