And it was not a holiday for DCPS last year either. |
I'm convinced DCPS dialed back on giving off on Easter Monday partly because of the consistently chaotic scene at the zoo each year. Tons of unsupervised kids. There is always some sort of fiasco (a shooting a couple years ago). |
No, Christmas is a Christian holiday that many people celebrate largely in secular ways through consumerism. Hanukkah has become the same way for lots of people, but doesn't mean it isn't still a Jewish holiday. |
Jewish parent here. no, public schools should NOT be closed for religious holidays. period. christmas being a national holiday is a whole separate matter.
carry on... |
Easter Monday is a historic AA event specific to DC and it's unique culture. Jewish High Holy Days may make sense due to percentage Jewish students or faculty. These are two separate questions. |
DC is 4.2% Jewish, according to http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-population-in-the-united-states-by-state
That hardly seems a critical mass. |
Which works out to 194 students, as applied to the school population. Again, not a large number. |
And Easter Monday isn't a holiday anymore. |
To the OP, DH & I work and the kids are in school so we never get to do things at not crowded times. For RH, we have dinner with family (two nights) and go to synagogue for the kids service only. Now our new tradition is that we also go apple picking in the morning on the one school day we have to take off. That makes me feel better about having to take the kids out of school that day ![]() |
*ahem* Christmas is technically a pagan holiday, but the Christians" borrowed it.
I'm totally supportive of kids having off on national holidays, but I do not support days off for every single religious holiday, no matter the religion. My kid needs a real summer break, and it's already way too short due to all of these random 1/2 days and PD. |
I'd love it if spring break could be over Passover every year so we didn't have to worry so much about food for our kids, as we keep Passover.
But this is the life we chose and the school district we chose. We do take extra days off during the holiday for extended travel to family. |
Interesting. For us, I'd hate to have Passover coincide with spring break bc then we'd have to keep Passover while traveling. That's a pain. |
I think the fact that the second day of RH this year is an off day is great. Kids are going to school on Thursday and services on Friday.
The number of days of DCPS has during the school year (most of November is a 4 day week) I'm fine with schools being open on Jewish holidays. If I wasn't they'd go to JPDS. |
I'm in FCPS and we don't keep kosher for Passover but we celebrate with family.. First world problem, but it cramps my already cramped vacation schedule (due to the school calendar) when spring break coincides with Passover. |
Last year we went to Cox Farms on Rosh Hashana after services-- it was great! |