Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Diwali is a fun holiday. Our whole neighborhood celebrates with parties and fireworks.

Couldn’t your celebration continue after school for those who are there for fun and not religious beliefs? Do we really need to shut the system down?

MCPS does that for all religions- Jewish holidays, Ramadan, Easter, Christmas etc. As an Indian immigrant, I did not request or vote for this day to be given a school holiday. We still have to go to work and do not celebrate it until that evening. MCPS aligns those dates with end of quarter/ grading/ teacher work days- so no there are no extra school days off because of Diwali.

Yes, MCPS tries to align these holidays with mid or end of marking period days for teachers.

This is part of inclusion that parent complained about because of Yom Kipper and rosh hosannah the system has closed for the last couple of decades due to the make up of teachers and student body.

As a Chinese immigrant, I also I did not request or vote for a day to be given a school holiday for lunar new year. We still have to go to work and do not celebrate it until that evening. I’d prefer my kids be in school.

I’d rather they be in school rather than these crappy extended school year due to snow days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you asking in May? Also,WHO CARES? This is why everyone hates MCPS parents.

It impacts parents who need to find childcare for a random holiday. Just like June 6th this year- it should have been removed instead of adding June 17th.

Not every religious holiday needs to shut down our county. Let those who celebrate have the day off.

See the post about systemic discrimination

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Diwali is a fun holiday. Our whole neighborhood celebrates with parties and fireworks.

Couldn’t your celebration continue after school for those who are there for fun and not religious beliefs? Do we really need to shut the system down?

MCPS does that for all religions- Jewish holidays, Ramadan, Easter, Christmas etc. As an Indian immigrant, I did not request or vote for this day to be given a school holiday. We still have to go to work and do not celebrate it until that evening. MCPS aligns those dates with end of quarter/ grading/ teacher work days- so no there are no extra school days off because of Diwali.

No, the month of Ramadan is not a off for children or teachers.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe Diwali?

Before I moved, students and teachers who celebrated holidays were given religious leave rather than the entire county shutting down. I wonder why they don’t do this in MCPS (for all non government mandatedholidays like the upcoming Eid, Yom Kippur/rosh hashanah, etc…). The MCPS calendar tries to take too many things into account.

They have teacher work days as well and try to coincide them with religious holidays for convenience. When a child takes a day off for a religious holiday, they have to make up the work missed during the same time that they have to do the regular work. This can run into tests and quizzes, complicating making up work even more, and they may not have enough time to make up the work before the quiz testing it. Moreover, because they missed class time, they also missed the instruction. Now, imagine they even got sick and had a day off for that sometime before the holiday! It can become a grade-altering event to take the day off for the religious holiday. As a result, they may choose to not take the religious holiday. Since some holidays are mandated by law, this creates systemic discrimination.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Diwali is a fun holiday. Our whole neighborhood celebrates with parties and fireworks.

Couldn’t your celebration continue after school for those who are there for fun and not religious beliefs? Do we really need to shut the system down?

MCPS does that for all religions- Jewish holidays, Ramadan, Easter, Christmas etc. As an Indian immigrant, I did not request or vote for this day to be given a school holiday. We still have to go to work and do not celebrate it until that evening. MCPS aligns those dates with end of quarter/ grading/ teacher work days- so no there are no extra school days off because of Diwali.

Once again for those in the cheap seats….they have to close the system for teacher grading and in service training so they are just doing it on a day where some segment of the student population has a holiday.
It’s actually a great weekend to take advantage of cheaper prices and good weather for travel, if you can take the day off work. Perfect for a long weekend at disney.

Anonymous wrote:Diwali is a fun holiday. Our whole neighborhood celebrates with parties and fireworks.

Couldn’t your celebration continue after school for those who are there for fun and not religious beliefs? Do we really need to shut the system down?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you asking in May? Also,WHO CARES? This is why everyone hates MCPS parents.

It impacts parents who need to find childcare for a random holiday. Just like June 6th this year- it should have been removed instead of adding June 17th.

Not every religious holiday needs to shut down our county. Let those who celebrate have the day off.

You have 5 months to make arrangements.

Diwali is a fun holiday. Our whole neighborhood celebrates with parties and fireworks.

Anonymous wrote:Why are you asking in May? Also,WHO CARES? This is why everyone hates MCPS parents.

It impacts parents who need to find childcare for a random holiday. Just like June 6th this year- it should have been removed instead of adding June 17th.

Not every religious holiday needs to shut down our county. Let those who celebrate have the day off.

Why are you asking in May? Also,WHO CARES? This is why everyone hates MCPS parents.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe Diwali?

Before I moved, students and teachers who celebrated holidays were given religious leave rather than the entire county shutting down. I wonder why they don’t do this in MCPS (for all non government mandatedholidays like the upcoming Eid, Yom Kippur/rosh hashanah, etc…). The MCPS calendar tries to take too many things into account.

Whenever possible, they schedule teacher grading/in-service days on holidays like this out of respect. It doesn't always work, but since they'll have a day off in that proximity anyway they do it when feasible.

Maybe Diwali?

Before I moved, students and teachers who celebrated holidays were given religious leave rather than the entire county shutting down. I wonder why they don’t do this in MCPS (for all non government mandatedholidays like the upcoming Eid, Yom Kippur/rosh hashanah, etc…). The MCPS calendar tries to take too many things into account.

Looks like Diwali is on that day.

Title says it all.