All these days off...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2020, 3% of the the adult living in Fairfax County identified as Jewish. (This does not include the under 18s and does not include employees that live outside of the county)

Hindus are around the same percentage (diwali off)

Orthodox Christians are a much tinier group. Are they even 1%? Yet we have Orthodox Epiphany off (Jan 17) and Orthodox Easter off (April 10)

FCPS gives Day of the Dead/All Saints Day off. (Nov 1)

That one is a complete head scratcher. Catholics (and Mexicans) do not view that as a day to take off work or school. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, but you don't take off work or school to meet the obligation. You simply go to Mass in the early morning or to one of the many evening Mass options. All Saints Day is not a particularly huge feast day accompanied by a bunch of significant religious and cultural traditions that require one to take off work and school.

Giving All Saints Day/ day of the dead off as a religious cultural holiday is performative and shows that FCPS doesn’t understand the holiday.

November 1 is not a day off.

It has been on past calenders.

I’ve worked in FCPS for 25 years. I promise that All Saints Day has never been a religious holiday. If there was no school that day, it’s because it was a weekend or a teacher workday.

The calender lists it as All Saints Day/ Day of the Dead, so FCPS acknowleges the day off as a religious holiday.

Look at the calendar again. It is NOT a day off. No where does it say it is a day off. Please link the calendar.

Well it frequently falls on a Saturday or Sunday for the next couple years, so jumping ahead you can see in 2027-28 it’s off. There was a bunch of talk at the SB meeting when they added this. They decided to give it off for the holiday, but line it up every year as the official end of the quarter (you’ll notice every other quarter moves end dates a bit from year to year, except the first to accomodate this)

The SB meetings are all online you can still find it I’m sure but I’m not digging around for it.

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2025-02/2027-2028-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

Ding! Ding! Ding! It follows the quarter end. Friday before is Diwali which is listed as a holiday. Monday, Nov 1 is a "School Planning Day" and Nov 2 is a "Teacher Workday," which is traditional at the end of the quarter.

And, if it was a holiday on a prior year, it is because it was Quarter end Teacher Workday. It has never been a school holiday because of religion. Not in FCPS.

You are factually incorrect but whatever makes you happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2020, 3% of the the adult living in Fairfax County identified as Jewish. (This does not include the under 18s and does not include employees that live outside of the county)

Hindus are around the same percentage (diwali off)

Orthodox Christians are a much tinier group. Are they even 1%? Yet we have Orthodox Epiphany off (Jan 17) and Orthodox Easter off (April 10)

FCPS gives Day of the Dead/All Saints Day off. (Nov 1)

That one is a complete head scratcher. Catholics (and Mexicans) do not view that as a day to take off work or school. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, but you don't take off work or school to meet the obligation. You simply go to Mass in the early morning or to one of the many evening Mass options. All Saints Day is not a particularly huge feast day accompanied by a bunch of significant religious and cultural traditions that require one to take off work and school.

Giving All Saints Day/ day of the dead off as a religious cultural holiday is performative and shows that FCPS doesn’t understand the holiday.

November 1 is not a day off.

It has been on past calenders.

I’ve worked in FCPS for 25 years. I promise that All Saints Day has never been a religious holiday. If there was no school that day, it’s because it was a weekend or a teacher workday.

The calender lists it as All Saints Day/ Day of the Dead, so FCPS acknowleges the day off as a religious holiday.

Look at the calendar again. It is NOT a day off. No where does it say it is a day off. Please link the calendar.

Well it frequently falls on a Saturday or Sunday for the next couple years, so jumping ahead you can see in 2027-28 it’s off. There was a bunch of talk at the SB meeting when they added this. They decided to give it off for the holiday, but line it up every year as the official end of the quarter (you’ll notice every other quarter moves end dates a bit from year to year, except the first to accomodate this)

The SB meetings are all online you can still find it I’m sure but I’m not digging around for it.

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2025-02/2027-2028-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

Ding! Ding! Ding! It follows the quarter end. Friday before is Diwali which is listed as a holiday. Monday, Nov 1 is a "School Planning Day" and Nov 2 is a "Teacher Workday," which is traditional at the end of the quarter.

And, if it was a holiday on a prior year, it is because it was Quarter end Teacher Workday. It has never been a school holiday because of religion. Not in FCPS.

You are factually incorrect but whatever makes you happy.

So, give us some documentation. I've been here a long, long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2020, 3% of the the adult living in Fairfax County identified as Jewish. (This does not include the under 18s and does not include employees that live outside of the county)

Hindus are around the same percentage (diwali off)

Orthodox Christians are a much tinier group. Are they even 1%? Yet we have Orthodox Epiphany off (Jan 17) and Orthodox Easter off (April 10)

FCPS gives Day of the Dead/All Saints Day off. (Nov 1)

That one is a complete head scratcher. Catholics (and Mexicans) do not view that as a day to take off work or school. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, but you don't take off work or school to meet the obligation. You simply go to Mass in the early morning or to one of the many evening Mass options. All Saints Day is not a particularly huge feast day accompanied by a bunch of significant religious and cultural traditions that require one to take off work and school.

Giving All Saints Day/ day of the dead off as a religious cultural holiday is performative and shows that FCPS doesn’t understand the holiday.

November 1 is not a day off.

It has been on past calenders.

I’ve worked in FCPS for 25 years. I promise that All Saints Day has never been a religious holiday. If there was no school that day, it’s because it was a weekend or a teacher workday.

The calender lists it as All Saints Day/ Day of the Dead, so FCPS acknowleges the day off as a religious holiday.

Incorrect. When the day off is due that day for the sole reason that it’s a religious holiday, you’ll see it marked with only an “H”. There is no calendar where All Saints Day has an “H” and there never has been.

In the 27-28 calendar, you’ll see that Nov 1 is a day where no students attend. AND it is acknowledged below that Nov 1 is All Saints Day. FCPS does acknowledge this is a holiday for some. BUT the day on the calendar is marked with an SP which stands for School Planning Day. That means that school is not closed for students because it’s a religious holiday but because it’s a workday for staff.

+1
Here are the links to the calendars. All Saints Day is never a religious holiday where school is closed for staff and/or students because it is a religious holiday (like Yom Kippur or Eid or Christmas).

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2024-02/2025-2026-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2025-04/2026-2027-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2025-02/2027-2028-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2020, 3% of the the adult living in Fairfax County identified as Jewish. (This does not include the under 18s and does not include employees that live outside of the county)

Hindus are around the same percentage (diwali off)

Orthodox Christians are a much tinier group. Are they even 1%? Yet we have Orthodox Epiphany off (Jan 17) and Orthodox Easter off (April 10)

FCPS gives Day of the Dead/All Saints Day off. (Nov 1)

That one is a complete head scratcher. Catholics (and Mexicans) do not view that as a day to take off work or school. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, but you don't take off work or school to meet the obligation. You simply go to Mass in the early morning or to one of the many evening Mass options. All Saints Day is not a particularly huge feast day accompanied by a bunch of significant religious and cultural traditions that require one to take off work and school.

Giving All Saints Day/ day of the dead off as a religious cultural holiday is performative and shows that FCPS doesn’t understand the holiday.

November 1 is not a day off.

That’s because it’s a Saturday. The holiday is still listed because it’s always off when it’s not on a weekend. They plan the end of the quarter around it so it’s always a 4 day break.

Exactly.

But if you ask any Catholic, practicing Cathokic or just culturally catholic, they will tell you unequivocally that All Saints Day should not be a day off school.

All Catholics feel this way? Is this why schools in all of Italy and France shut down?

I’ve heard Catholics upset when it wasn’t off because their church only had morning services.

I think maybe some people within a religion may have differing thoughts.

Not sure what the schools in France or Italy have to do with FCPS.

I guess you didn’t see the comment I was replying to. So here ya go:

“But if you ask any Catholic, practicing Cathokic or just culturally catholic, they will tell you unequivocally that All Saints Day should not be a day off school.”

Just responding to this absolute falsehood. Catholics all around the world take the day off. There’s way more countries all over Europe and South America where all schools close for catholic observance of the day.

Maybe white bread yuppie Catholics in NOVA sit it out, but they don’t speak for all.

And to go a step further, maybe you’ve noticed we have a high population in of South American catholic students?

I read your comment and it's still irrelevant. I'm sure many countries take varying religious and other holidays off. It's irrelevant to an American school system.

And no I haven't noticed we have a lot of South American Catholic students. How would anyone know that?

You would know it if you were familiar with the demographics of the county.

Sure, go ahead and show us these demographics that show South American Catholics students.

Have you not noticed any Latinos in the DCUM area?

LOL, now you're moving the goalposts. Hilarious to watch.

I'm so confused. Do you really not believe that we have a lot of students from South/Central America in FCPS? Do you really not realize that many of the immigrants from South/Central America are Catholic?

We know you're confused, because you've gone from South American, to Latino, to South/Central American students. None of these are the same. And there certainly aren't enough of them to justify closing schools.

Maybe not where your kids go to school. At the last 2 schools that I’ve taught at (30 minutes apart), they make-up 30-50% of the population. One year, I had 3 white students.

That is only one school. Celebrating every single minority religious is a disadvantage for ALL kids. Fairness would be getting a good education. How many people celebrate Diwali? A few percentage points? It is worth disrupting schedule of everyone else?

We can’t do this for every holiday because we are causing challenges for the majority. It is public school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2020, 3% of the the adult living in Fairfax County identified as Jewish. (This does not include the under 18s and does not include employees that live outside of the county)

Hindus are around the same percentage (diwali off)

Orthodox Christians are a much tinier group. Are they even 1%? Yet we have Orthodox Epiphany off (Jan 17) and Orthodox Easter off (April 10)

FCPS gives Day of the Dead/All Saints Day off. (Nov 1)

That one is a complete head scratcher. Catholics (and Mexicans) do not view that as a day to take off work or school. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, but you don't take off work or school to meet the obligation. You simply go to Mass in the early morning or to one of the many evening Mass options. All Saints Day is not a particularly huge feast day accompanied by a bunch of significant religious and cultural traditions that require one to take off work and school.

Giving All Saints Day/ day of the dead off as a religious cultural holiday is performative and shows that FCPS doesn’t understand the holiday.

November 1 is not a day off.

That’s because it’s a Saturday. The holiday is still listed because it’s always off when it’s not on a weekend. They plan the end of the quarter around it so it’s always a 4 day break.

Exactly.

But if you ask any Catholic, practicing Cathokic or just culturally catholic, they will tell you unequivocally that All Saints Day should not be a day off school.

All Catholics feel this way? Is this why schools in all of Italy and France shut down?

I’ve heard Catholics upset when it wasn’t off because their church only had morning services.

I think maybe some people within a religion may have differing thoughts.

Not sure what the schools in France or Italy have to do with FCPS.

I guess you didn’t see the comment I was replying to. So here ya go:

“But if you ask any Catholic, practicing Cathokic or just culturally catholic, they will tell you unequivocally that All Saints Day should not be a day off school.”

Just responding to this absolute falsehood. Catholics all around the world take the day off. There’s way more countries all over Europe and South America where all schools close for catholic observance of the day.

Maybe white bread yuppie Catholics in NOVA sit it out, but they don’t speak for all.

And to go a step further, maybe you’ve noticed we have a high population in of South American catholic students?

I read your comment and it's still irrelevant. I'm sure many countries take varying religious and other holidays off. It's irrelevant to an American school system.

And no I haven't noticed we have a lot of South American Catholic students. How would anyone know that?

You would know it if you were familiar with the demographics of the county.

Sure, go ahead and show us these demographics that show South American Catholics students.

Have you not noticed any Latinos in the DCUM area?

LOL, now you're moving the goalposts. Hilarious to watch.

I'm so confused. Do you really not believe that we have a lot of students from South/Central America in FCPS? Do you really not realize that many of the immigrants from South/Central America are Catholic?

We know you're confused, because you've gone from South American, to Latino, to South/Central American students. None of these are the same. And there certainly aren't enough of them to justify closing schools.

Maybe not where your kids go to school. At the last 2 schools that I’ve taught at (30 minutes apart), they make-up 30-50% of the population. One year, I had 3 white students.

That is only one school. Celebrating every single minority religious is a disadvantage for ALL kids. Fairness would be getting a good education. How many people celebrate Diwali? A few percentage points? It is worth disrupting schedule of everyone else?

We can’t do this for every holiday because we are causing challenges for the majority. It is public school!

I sincerely believe you will be happier in Texas.. or maybe Alabama or Mississippi. I think they cater to your kind.

[Anonymous]

My conspiracy theory about this is that FCPS noticed a lot of staff absences (IA’s, bus drivers, cafeteria aides etc.) during the Muslim holidays. At least at my kids’ ES, those positions are heavily held by Middle Eastern immigrants. So they thought that to help operations, they’d give the Eid’s off as holidays for everyone. But then someone questioned the optics of that and not giving the Jewish, Orthodox, Hindu etc. holidays too and even cultural celebrations like Dia de los Muertos, which was given as a “PW” day and an “O” day in the past. Lunar New Year too. So they just added all the holidays ever created so that no one would be offended. Now here we are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My conspiracy theory about this is that FCPS noticed a lot of staff absences (IA’s, bus drivers, cafeteria aides etc.) during the Muslim holidays. At least at my kids’ ES, those positions are heavily held by Middle Eastern immigrants. So they thought that to help operations, they’d give the Eid’s off as holidays for everyone. But then someone questioned the optics of that and not giving the Jewish, Orthodox, Hindu etc. holidays too and even cultural celebrations like Dia de los Muertos, which was given as a “PW” day and an “O” day in the past. Lunar New Year too. So they just added all the holidays ever created so that no one would be offended. Now here we are.

Change is hard. Try to have some calming tea and a nice long walk. You’ll be okay. And so will our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My conspiracy theory about this is that FCPS noticed a lot of staff absences (IA’s, bus drivers, cafeteria aides etc.) during the Muslim holidays. At least at my kids’ ES, those positions are heavily held by Middle Eastern immigrants. So they thought that to help operations, they’d give the Eid’s off as holidays for everyone. But then someone questioned the optics of that and not giving the Jewish, Orthodox, Hindu etc. holidays too and even cultural celebrations like Dia de los Muertos, which was given as a “PW” day and an “O” day in the past. Lunar New Year too. So they just added all the holidays ever created so that no one would be offended. Now here we are.

Tell me you’re a white Christian without saying you’re a white Christian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My conspiracy theory about this is that FCPS noticed a lot of staff absences (IA’s, bus drivers, cafeteria aides etc.) during the Muslim holidays. At least at my kids’ ES, those positions are heavily held by Middle Eastern immigrants. So they thought that to help operations, they’d give the Eid’s off as holidays for everyone. But then someone questioned the optics of that and not giving the Jewish, Orthodox, Hindu etc. holidays too and even cultural celebrations like Dia de los Muertos, which was given as a “PW” day and an “O” day in the past. Lunar New Year too. So they just added all the holidays ever created so that no one would be offended. Now here we are.

Change is hard. Try to have some calming tea and a nice long walk. You’ll be okay. And so will our kids.

Ok, but I don’t want to hear a single peep out of you lot when summer is 8 weeks long and you don’t have time for summer swim, a week long vacation, a trip to Grandma’s in the Midwest, etc. etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2020, 3% of the the adult living in Fairfax County identified as Jewish. (This does not include the under 18s and does not include employees that live outside of the county)

Hindus are around the same percentage (diwali off)

Orthodox Christians are a much tinier group. Are they even 1%? Yet we have Orthodox Epiphany off (Jan 17) and Orthodox Easter off (April 10)

FCPS gives Day of the Dead/All Saints Day off. (Nov 1)

That one is a complete head scratcher. Catholics (and Mexicans) do not view that as a day to take off work or school. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, but you don't take off work or school to meet the obligation. You simply go to Mass in the early morning or to one of the many evening Mass options. All Saints Day is not a particularly huge feast day accompanied by a bunch of significant religious and cultural traditions that require one to take off work and school.

Giving All Saints Day/ day of the dead off as a religious cultural holiday is performative and shows that FCPS doesn’t understand the holiday.

November 1 is not a day off.

That’s because it’s a Saturday. The holiday is still listed because it’s always off when it’s not on a weekend. They plan the end of the quarter around it so it’s always a 4 day break.

Exactly.

But if you ask any Catholic, practicing Cathokic or just culturally catholic, they will tell you unequivocally that All Saints Day should not be a day off school.

All Catholics feel this way? Is this why schools in all of Italy and France shut down?

I’ve heard Catholics upset when it wasn’t off because their church only had morning services.

I think maybe some people within a religion may have differing thoughts.

Not sure what the schools in France or Italy have to do with FCPS.

I guess you didn’t see the comment I was replying to. So here ya go:

“But if you ask any Catholic, practicing Cathokic or just culturally catholic, they will tell you unequivocally that All Saints Day should not be a day off school.”

Just responding to this absolute falsehood. Catholics all around the world take the day off. There’s way more countries all over Europe and South America where all schools close for catholic observance of the day.

Maybe white bread yuppie Catholics in NOVA sit it out, but they don’t speak for all.

And to go a step further, maybe you’ve noticed we have a high population in of South American catholic students?

I read your comment and it's still irrelevant. I'm sure many countries take varying religious and other holidays off. It's irrelevant to an American school system.

And no I haven't noticed we have a lot of South American Catholic students. How would anyone know that?

You would know it if you were familiar with the demographics of the county.

Sure, go ahead and show us these demographics that show South American Catholics students.

Have you not noticed any Latinos in the DCUM area?

LOL, now you're moving the goalposts. Hilarious to watch.

I'm so confused. Do you really not believe that we have a lot of students from South/Central America in FCPS? Do you really not realize that many of the immigrants from South/Central America are Catholic?

We know you're confused, because you've gone from South American, to Latino, to South/Central American students. None of these are the same. And there certainly aren't enough of them to justify closing schools.

Maybe not where your kids go to school. At the last 2 schools that I’ve taught at (30 minutes apart), they make-up 30-50% of the population. One year, I had 3 white students.

That is only one school. Celebrating every single minority religious is a disadvantage for ALL kids. Fairness would be getting a good education. How many people celebrate Diwali? A few percentage points? It is worth disrupting schedule of everyone else?

We can’t do this for every holiday because we are causing challenges for the majority. It is public school!

I sincerely believe you will be happier in Texas.. or maybe Alabama or Mississippi. I think they cater to your kind.

Why? Do they have school calendars that make sense there?

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. With all the days off, we still have kids taking trips on school days. Have already had several kids go on vacation and miss school.

[Anonymous]

I’m horrified with how many just yank their kids from school for vacations

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. With all the days off, we still have kids taking trips on school days. Have already had several kids go on vacation and miss school.

Do you find that this happens more, less or the same since Covid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here. With all the days off, we still have kids taking trips on school days. Have already had several kids go on vacation and miss school.

Do you find that this happens more, less or the same since Covid?

Same. We have had 29 days of school. Between kids getting sick and kids going on vacation (adding a day or two to already days off), I have had my full class for about 1/2 of the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In 2020, 3% of the the adult living in Fairfax County identified as Jewish. (This does not include the under 18s and does not include employees that live outside of the county)

Hindus are around the same percentage (diwali off)

Orthodox Christians are a much tinier group. Are they even 1%? Yet we have Orthodox Epiphany off (Jan 17) and Orthodox Easter off (April 10)

FCPS gives Day of the Dead/All Saints Day off. (Nov 1)

That one is a complete head scratcher. Catholics (and Mexicans) do not view that as a day to take off work or school. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, but you don't take off work or school to meet the obligation. You simply go to Mass in the early morning or to one of the many evening Mass options. All Saints Day is not a particularly huge feast day accompanied by a bunch of significant religious and cultural traditions that require one to take off work and school.

Giving All Saints Day/ day of the dead off as a religious cultural holiday is performative and shows that FCPS doesn’t understand the holiday.

November 1 is not a day off.

It has been on past calenders.

I’ve worked in FCPS for 25 years. I promise that All Saints Day has never been a religious holiday. If there was no school that day, it’s because it was a weekend or a teacher workday.

The calender lists it as All Saints Day/ Day of the Dead, so FCPS acknowleges the day off as a religious holiday.

Incorrect. When the day off is due that day for the sole reason that it’s a religious holiday, you’ll see it marked with only an “H”. There is no calendar where All Saints Day has an “H” and there never has been.

In the 27-28 calendar, you’ll see that Nov 1 is a day where no students attend. AND it is acknowledged below that Nov 1 is All Saints Day. FCPS does acknowledge this is a holiday for some. BUT the day on the calendar is marked with an SP which stands for School Planning Day. That means that school is not closed for students because it’s a religious holiday but because it’s a workday for staff.

+1
Here are the links to the calendars. All Saints Day is never a religious holiday where school is closed for staff and/or students because it is a religious holiday (like Yom Kippur or Eid or Christmas).

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2024-02/2025-2026-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2025-04/2026-2027-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

https://www.fcps.edu/system/files/forms/2025-02/2027-2028-standard-school-year-calendar.pdf

My friends, the first Monday in November is off because it is the day before the first Tuesday in November, which is Election Day.