MCPS Removes Religious Holiday Designations from School Calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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....

It's not a coincidence that Christmas always falls during winter break, and Good Friday and Easter Monday always fall during spring break. Winter break could be the first two weeks in December or the first two weeks in January, couldn't it? And spring break could always be the second week of March.

Also, if Easter Monday isn't a religious holiday, how come it has Easter in the name, and how come the same state law that requires schools to be closed on Good Friday (a religious holiday, correct?) also requires schools to be closed on Easter Monday?

[Anonymous]

I think we should only allow fun holidays.

So, we should take a poll to see which holiday is the best. I think the best of all festivals is "Holi". Festival of color and "bhang".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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....

It's not a coincidence that Christmas always falls during winter break, and Good Friday and Easter Monday always fall during spring break. Winter break could be the first two weeks in December or the first two weeks in January, couldn't it? And spring break could always be the second week of March.

Also, if Easter Monday isn't a religious holiday, how come it has Easter in the name, and how come the same state law that requires schools to be closed on Good Friday (a religious holiday, correct?) also requires schools to be closed on Easter Monday?

But how does it harm anyone just go make those holidays part of winter and spring breaks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then why was the name removed from the calendar?

Because it's too hard and complicated to acknowledge other religious groups?

Because MCPS should not be acknowledging any religious groups. Including Christians.

But they are if they are essentially excusing absences for religious holidays. What if there was high absenteeism for opening day of the baseball season. Would they just take that day off the school calendar? No. They are acknowledging that religious holidays are a valid reason to be absent from school.

I grew up in a small rural town in PA. We always (and they still do) had the first day of deer season off because of high absenteeism. So yes, if there were a high absenteeism for a particular day (like opening day) then I would have no problem making that an official day off.

They do that in Frederick County, Md.

[Anonymous]

None of this harms anyone. It is all about labeling..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's not a coincidence that Christmas always falls during winter break, and Good Friday and Easter Monday always fall during spring break. Winter break could be the first two weeks in December or the first two weeks in January, couldn't it? And spring break could always be the second week of March.

Also, if Easter Monday isn't a religious holiday, how come it has Easter in the name, and how come the same state law that requires schools to be closed on Good Friday (a religious holiday, correct?) also requires schools to be closed on Easter Monday?

But how does it harm anyone just go make those holidays part of winter and spring breaks?

The question was, are there Christian holidays that MCPS closes for? The answer to this question is, yes.

[Anonymous]

Ever wonder why school is closed the Friday after Thanksgiving? Because too many people would take off the day otherwise. In contract, people don't take their children out of school for Veterans Day, so school is open on that federal holiday. No idea why they are closed on Columbus Day at this point.

I think if school was open on Good Friday and Easter Monday there would not be significant attendance problems.

Christmas through New Year's Day, however, I think there would be attendance problems if the school were open.

I don't need the school calendar to inform me the dates that are important to my religion, so I think this is much to do about nothing.

[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.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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....

It's not a coincidence that Christmas always falls during winter break, and Good Friday and Easter Monday always fall during spring break. Winter break could be the first two weeks in December or the first two weeks in January, couldn't it? And spring break could always be the second week of March.

Also, if Easter Monday isn't a religious holiday, how come it has Easter in the name, and how come the same state law that requires schools to be closed on Good Friday (a religious holiday, correct?) also requires schools to be closed on Easter Monday?

But how does it harm anyone just go make those holidays part of winter and spring breaks?

Not the PP, but wouldn't it make more sense to schedule breaks that make sense around the academic school year? You know, and not have to have finals two weeks after Winter Break?

[Anonymous]

Having spring break right after the end of the third marking period would make sense too.

[Anonymous]

We are catholic and one of my daughters goes to a secular private where the Spring Break is always after 3rd marking period. No Good Friday or Easter Monday off. We love it. I wish the county would do it too - and also not have the Jewish holidays off. No one's religious holiday should be off.

Winter Break will never change because of New Years and many non-catholics appreciate the break for traveling, visiting families, etc.. It is also the end of the 2nd marking period for my child's private school.

Most "Americans" these days don't even celebrate Thanksgiving. All the diversity, it means nothing to them. Should we not have off for that holiday either?

[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.

And do all these other districts have off for Jewish holidays? NO!

[Anonymous]

My goodness people, it's the same days off as always! Just now NO religion tied to it. Who cares! I am Christian but do I care there are Jewish or whatever religion days off? No!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My goodness people, it's the same days off as always! Just now NO religion tied to it. Who cares! I am Christian but do I care there are Jewish or whatever religion days off? No!

So Jewish are the only ones with religious holidays off, correct?

[Anonymous]

And the Christians..