It’s a good compromise to try not to plan things so that people don’t miss out during their excused absence |
At some point we have to actually educate children, being a secular school system. Should we add the other days for Passover? Ash Wednesday and All Saints Day? What about the orthodox holidays? How many days are left after you’ve carved out every major or minor observance for every world religion? When does it stop? |
In APS? Never. That's the problem. This is why so many families have bailed to private schools. |
I think that was in there. Down at the religious holidays section, it said June 6 (sunset)-7 Eid on the calendar. I’m not sure all the PTAs know how to read the religious holidays on the calendar. We had picture day scheduled on a huge holiday at our school once. OOPS! |
The problem was that it moved by a day. They were not planning to close school on the eve of the holiday but then the holiday moved so it was going to start the evening of the 5th |
It's still really not cool to close a school district on short notice. It leaves people in a childcare lurch, as there aren't day camps. |
+1 this isn’t a snow day or water main break. It’s purely an optional religious observance |
No, it actually was not possible to know in advance that it was, in this case, June 6th. It could have been June 7th or June 8th. The problem is that not only does it go by the moon, but a local Imam has to see the lunar phase in the sky, and then call it. That happened only the Monday before the vote (less than 3 days before the meeting). This is also the reason why the holiday is often not celebrated on the same date around the world. Different Imams see different things in different countries. The holiday also lasts at least 3 full days. We will have an additional 6 days blocked each school year, blocked for all tests, events, etc. So… not an easy holiday to integrate into life in a country that is not majority Islam. |
Annoying given that other Imams in other areas don't need to physically see the moon... It's 2025 FFS. We very precisely know the phases of the moon. |
I don't think I have seen this discussed: are there religious holidays where school is held but new material can't be introduced or a test can't be given? I am thinking of "secondary" holidays like 3 Kings Day. I feel like I saw a calendar at one point identifying over a dozen days like this. |
I plan to pull my son out of school next Friday or Monday to make my own "holiday" and I will submit it as an "excused" absence. With so many days off for random religious holidays and teacher work days, it's no wonder parents like me start to ignore the "no more than 15 days absent" rule. And no, my son hasn't missed much and still maintained his honor roll grades since he could catch up online. |
I’m doing the same. It’s pretty wild that they were considering this in the same week they sent out their attendance reports. |
I’m not sure if this is what you’re thinking of, but I believe Fairfax County has this. |
This is a good example of why it's pure folly to try to include all the religious holidays on a secular school calendar. |
When it's time to vote for school board members, someone please remind us all about this vote. I will forget who voted for what and, importantly, who abstained. But someone please remind us all. |