MCPS Removes Religious Holiday Designations from School Calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think probably the stupidest thing in the world is closing but not saying the real reason you are closing.

The real reason MCPS is closing is because there would be a lot of absences on that day if they didn't. Or do you think that MCPS celebrates Christmas?

So what-- are they going to call it "high expected absence day" on the calendar?

Winter Break and Spring Break.

That is the perfect solution. Good for them!

Which, btw, is what DCPS and a zillion other districts around the country already do.

This is not news, people.

Exactly. MCPS is behind. And it's incredible to me that Starr did not propose this. He proposed leaving the names of Christian holidays and stating that that was the reason for the days off (Christmas and Easter) but removing the names of the Jewish holidays. At least the school board was able to come up with a reasonable solution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can always go back to the middle east if they want their holiday-they need to learn "when in Rome.....".

Are you referring to Christians, Jews, or Muslims with this statement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly see this as a snide attack on Jews by Muslims.

I am a Jew, and I think if you see this issue this way you are beyond paranoid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can always go back to the middle east if they want their holiday-they need to learn "when in Rome.....".

Not a Muslim, but this is real bullying. [/quote


No making demands and blowing shit up is

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They did it for inauguration day starting with Obama's first election.

Not true. Presidential Inauguration Day has always been a day off in DC. As a matter of fact the DC Metro area federal government and DC government is also closed. It has happened every four years as far back as Reagan, maybe longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The county did the right thing. The Moslem groups were being unreasonable. No significant number of students and staff were taking the Eid holiday off (which is their right to do anyway). The Moslems just wanted to make a political point and get "recognition" and "respect" for their religious holiday, but recognizing religion is not the business of American public schools. Who would be next? Wiccans? Hare Krishnas? Schools only care when a significant number miss the day. Lots of Christian, Hindu and Jewish holidays were not on the calendar either (Divali, anybody? Sukkot? Greek Orthodox Christmas? Navruz? Kwaanza?) because not a lot of people take those off. No one complained. A small noisy group of Moslems tried to raise the profile of their minority and now all religious names are off the calendar. Fine by me.

What is deemed a significant number, and how are the numbers in comparison to the other holidays. You have no idea, as no numbers were provided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They did it for inauguration day starting with Obama's first election.

Not true. Presidential Inauguration Day has always been a day off in DC. As a matter of fact the DC Metro area federal government and DC government is also closed. It has happened every four years as far back as Reagan, maybe longer.

MoCo Children had school until Obama's first electrion. It was always a day off for Feds.. This is from MCPS website

December 9, 2008
The Montgomery County Board of Education voted today (Dec. 9) to designate Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009, as a holiday in Montgomery County Public Schools. All schools and offices will be closed.

In its resolution approving the change to the current school calendar, the Board also noted that Inauguration Day will be designated as a school system holiday in all future years when Inauguration Day occurs.

The resolution, put forward by Board member Christopher Barclay, was passed unanimously. "I am very pleased that the Board decided to close the schools on Inauguration Day, not only on January 20, 2009, but from this point forward," said Mr. Barclay. "Our students and their families can celebrate the inauguration of our country's president."

[Anonymous]

What I wonder about is why do we never hear about such demands for recognition comings from Hindus or Buddhists? There are far more Hindus than Muslims in MoCo, but somehow their wishes do not get the same publicity as the wishes of Muslims. Why is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great solution. So much ignorance displayed here.

Agreed. Every. Single. Year. a bunch of people b*tch and moan because MCPS is closed on the Jewish holidays. It's not FOR the Jewish holidays. It's ON the Jewish holidays. Because of a high rate of absenteeism. Every single year it's the same complaints and people getting their panties in a bunch thinking everyone is trying to attack their Christianity. MCPS doesn't care what holidays you celebrate or don't. MCPS DOES care whether it has the staff to run its schools on school days. Do you honestly think this change will have any affect whatsoever on you? Or how you celebrate your holidays? Or whether or how such holidays are discussed or celebrated within your child's classroom? It won't. Stop actively looking for things to complain about. Some people have ACTUAL PROBLEMS.

Jewish people are the only ones who got their way and have 2 of their holidays sometimes in the middle of the week completely off. It is ridiculous. I don't blame the Muslims for being pissed. So what are going to be the reasons we have off in September twice next year? What are they going to put on those days off if they aren't religious-based. Just because a few small areas in Rockville/Potomac/Bethesda have Jews doesn't mean the entire county has to be off for 2 days. Easter is on a Sunday, Christmas is over winter break which includes New Years. There are no Christian holidays the county is off for. Religious holidays are an excused absence but no reason why the whole county needs off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I wonder about is why do we never hear about such demands for recognition comings from Hindus or Buddhists? There are far more Hindus than Muslims in MoCo, but somehow their wishes do not get the same publicity as the wishes of Muslims. Why is that?

What do you think the answer to that question is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Jewish people are the only ones who got their way and have 2 of their holidays sometimes in the middle of the week completely off. It is ridiculous. I don't blame the Muslims for being pissed. So what are going to be the reasons we have off in September twice next year? What are they going to put on those days off if they aren't religious-based. Just because a few small areas in Rockville/Potomac/Bethesda have Jews doesn't mean the entire county has to be off for 2 days. Easter is on a Sunday, Christmas is over winter break which includes New Years. There are no Christian holidays the county is off for. Religious holidays are an excused absence but no reason why the whole county needs off.

Except for Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter Monday.

If you want to know what MCPS is going to put on the calendar, read the Washington Post article.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Jewish people are the only ones who got their way and have 2 of their holidays sometimes in the middle of the week completely off. It is ridiculous. I don't blame the Muslims for being pissed. So what are going to be the reasons we have off in September twice next year? What are they going to put on those days off if they aren't religious-based. Just because a few small areas in Rockville/Potomac/Bethesda have Jews doesn't mean the entire county has to be off for 2 days. Easter is on a Sunday, Christmas is over winter break which includes New Years. There are no Christian holidays the county is off for. Religious holidays are an excused absence but no reason why the whole county needs off.

Except for Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter Monday.

If you want to know what MCPS is going to put on the calendar, read the Washington Post article.

Christmas is over Winter Break with New Years.
Good Friday is over Spring Break
Easter Monday is not a religious holiday.

Try again....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Jewish people are the only ones who got their way and have 2 of their holidays sometimes in the middle of the week completely off. It is ridiculous. I don't blame the Muslims for being pissed. So what are going to be the reasons we have off in September twice next year? What are they going to put on those days off if they aren't religious-based. Just because a few small areas in Rockville/Potomac/Bethesda have Jews doesn't mean the entire county has to be off for 2 days. Easter is on a Sunday, Christmas is over winter break which includes New Years. There are no Christian holidays the county is off for. Religious holidays are an excused absence but no reason why the whole county needs off.

Except for Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter Monday.

If you want to know what MCPS is going to put on the calendar, read the Washington Post article.

So lets take away Spring Break and Winter Break. Would that make the Jews happy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I wonder about is why do we never hear about such demands for recognition comings from Hindus or Buddhists? There are far more Hindus than Muslims in MoCo, but somehow their wishes do not get the same publicity as the wishes of Muslims. Why is that?

What do you think the answer to that question is?

Terrorism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great solution. So much ignorance displayed here.

Agreed. Every. Single. Year. a bunch of people b*tch and moan because MCPS is closed on the Jewish holidays. It's not FOR the Jewish holidays. It's ON the Jewish holidays. Because of a high rate of absenteeism. Every single year it's the same complaints and people getting their panties in a bunch thinking everyone is trying to attack their Christianity. MCPS doesn't care what holidays you celebrate or don't. MCPS DOES care whether it has the staff to run its schools on school days. Do you honestly think this change will have any affect whatsoever on you? Or how you celebrate your holidays? Or whether or how such holidays are discussed or celebrated within your child's classroom? It won't. Stop actively looking for things to complain about. Some people have ACTUAL PROBLEMS.

Jewish people are the only ones who got their way and have 2 of their holidays sometimes in the middle of the week completely off. It is ridiculous. I don't blame the Muslims for being pissed. So what are going to be the reasons we have off in September twice next year? What are they going to put on those days off if they aren't religious-based. Just because a few small areas in Rockville/Potomac/Bethesda have Jews doesn't mean the entire county has to be off for 2 days. Easter is on a Sunday, Christmas is over winter break which includes New Years. There are no Christian holidays the county is off for. Religious holidays are an excused absence but no reason why the whole county needs off.

Good Lord, can you read? They "get their holidays off" because there are enough staff NOT SHOWING UP FOR SCHOOL that they can't afford to keep the school open. Thus, we will have the same two days off next year. FOR THE SAME REASON. It doesn't take anything away from you. If it weren't these 2 days, MCPS would have a different two days off somewhere else in the calendar, or at the beginning of the year, or the end. You get the same number of days of instruction.