They are now taking two federal holidays. Dude WTF

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

I believe that the actual issue was that schools noticed a large attendance issue around the Muslim holidays, including teachers and IAs being absent. The schools moved to figure out how to address that. Once they started the process to have the Muslim holidays as days off, due to attendance issues, other religions chimed in that you cannot give off a Muslim holiday without recognizing their holidays even though there had not been an attendance issue on the Jewish, Hundi, and Greek Orthodox holidays. It turned into an all or nothing scenario. But only one of the holidays actually had a real attendance issue tied to it.

There was no such data ever presented. Random days in the school year had higher absentee rates (both students and staff) than any of the newly added religious holidays.

Maybe it’s WHO were the people who were off. It was difficult/dangerous to support students in EAC and IDS classrooms with so many of their regular support staff out (not to mention the transportation difficulties with so many drivers out).

I'd love to see some evidence of that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

I believe that the actual issue was that schools noticed a large attendance issue around the Muslim holidays, including teachers and IAs being absent. The schools moved to figure out how to address that. Once they started the process to have the Muslim holidays as days off, due to attendance issues, other religions chimed in that you cannot give off a Muslim holiday without recognizing their holidays even though there had not been an attendance issue on the Jewish, Hundi, and Greek Orthodox holidays. It turned into an all or nothing scenario. But only one of the holidays actually had a real attendance issue tied to it.

There was no such data ever presented. Random days in the school year had higher absentee rates (both students and staff) than any of the newly added religious holidays.

Maybe it’s WHO were the people who were off. It was difficult/dangerous to support students in EAC and IDS classrooms with so many of their regular support staff out (not to mention the transportation difficulties with so many drivers out).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

I believe that the actual issue was that schools noticed a large attendance issue around the Muslim holidays, including teachers and IAs being absent. The schools moved to figure out how to address that. Once they started the process to have the Muslim holidays as days off, due to attendance issues, other religions chimed in that you cannot give off a Muslim holiday without recognizing their holidays even though there had not been an attendance issue on the Jewish, Hundi, and Greek Orthodox holidays. It turned into an all or nothing scenario. But only one of the holidays actually had a real attendance issue tied to it.

There was no such data ever presented. Random days in the school year had higher absentee rates (both students and staff) than any of the newly added religious holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

This is completely untrue.

Fcps does not have a significant number of Jewish teachers or cafeteria staff.

I am Christian (and don't get any holidays off other than "winter" break). It would be completely wrong to celebrate multiple Muslim holidays and not celebrate the Jewish high holidays.

We shouldn't be celebrating anyreligious holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

I believe that the actual issue was that schools noticed a large attendance issue around the Muslim holidays, including teachers and IAs being absent. The schools moved to figure out how to address that. Once they started the process to have the Muslim holidays as days off, due to attendance issues, other religions chimed in that you cannot give off a Muslim holiday without recognizing their holidays even though there had not been an attendance issue on the Jewish, Hundi, and Greek Orthodox holidays. It turned into an all or nothing scenario. But only one of the holidays actually had a real attendance issue tied to it.

I wonder if it would be possible to make some of these days into “floating” holidays. Ie students would still be out of school but teachers could either use the day as a holiday or treat it as a contract SP/SD day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

I believe that the actual issue was that schools noticed a large attendance issue around the Muslim holidays, including teachers and IAs being absent. The schools moved to figure out how to address that. Once they started the process to have the Muslim holidays as days off, due to attendance issues, other religions chimed in that you cannot give off a Muslim holiday without recognizing their holidays even though there had not been an attendance issue on the Jewish, Hundi, and Greek Orthodox holidays. It turned into an all or nothing scenario. But only one of the holidays actually had a real attendance issue tied to it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

This is completely untrue.

Fcps does not have a significant number of Jewish teachers or cafeteria staff.

I am Christian (and don't get any holidays off other than "winter" break). It would be completely wrong to celebrate multiple Muslim holidays and not celebrate the Jewish high holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We certainly had a better education system when we only recognized Christian holidays. Even the reprobates at NYSE and CME take off Good Friday.

Lots of Muslim countries if you prefer that vibe.

We don’t “recognize” Jewish holidays. We just have them off because there aren’t enough teachers to teach on those days.

This is completely untrue.

Fcps does not have a significant number of Jewish teachers or cafeteria staff.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other counties follow what Fairfax County does, you morons.

When Fairfax adopted the new holidays a few years ago, it was because Loudoun and Arlington had done it first.

Arlington's admin feels strongly that it needs to follow FCPS so if Arlington did anything first, it was after consultation with FCPS and knowing that they were already planning the same.

Anonymous wrote:In many places, spring break is not tied to Easter, even in the deep south.

I think parents here mostly want school closings tied to religious holidays so they can travel to be with family. In many places, that is really not so much a concern.

Even in the Catholic schools, spring break is not tied to Easter.

No one is thinking about the low income and ESL students who need consistent support to make progress against their educational goals.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Having kids home so much and having disjointed weeks cannot be good for kids brains. FCPS has to recognize that a majority of the families in this county have 2 working parents, and although we shell out $ for one day camps sometimes that is not really realistic much of the time. Why we have off today (I am Catholic) and Friday is beyond me...our children are running around like crazy because this is the 6th day off...for no reason. And I would like to understand what a "student holiday" is for...PP noted this was "like college" no one I know has a "work holiday" or a "college day" off...so what the heck is it for?

Huh. Mine is working on a science project and studying for an AP exam. We are happy.

We don't care because it isn't about you and your stupid little family.

Likewise we don’t care if your children are running around feral on their day off. As long as my kid gets extra sleep and study time I don’t give a damn about your kids.

Clearly you're not fit to have a say on the Calendar since you seem to only think about your family

I can say the same about you. You’re only thinking of your family’s needs and not others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having kids home so much and having disjointed weeks cannot be good for kids brains. FCPS has to recognize that a majority of the families in this county have 2 working parents, and although we shell out $ for one day camps sometimes that is not really realistic much of the time. Why we have off today (I am Catholic) and Friday is beyond me...our children are running around like crazy because this is the 6th day off...for no reason. And I would like to understand what a "student holiday" is for...PP noted this was "like college" no one I know has a "work holiday" or a "college day" off...so what the heck is it for?

Huh. Mine is working on a science project and studying for an AP exam. We are happy.

We don't care because it isn't about you and your stupid little family.

Likewise we don’t care if your children are running around feral on their day off. As long as my kid gets extra sleep and study time I don’t give a damn about your kids.

Clearly you're not fit to have a say on the Calendar since you seem to only think about your family

Anonymous wrote:In many places, spring break is not tied to Easter, even in the deep south.

I think parents here mostly want school closings tied to religious holidays so they can travel to be with family. In many places, that is really not so much a concern.

In this case why the week before Easter? On the many years they don't have the Monday off, you would need to travel home on the actual holiday to be back in time for school on Monday. Wouldn't it make more sense to have the week after Easter off so that families can travel Friday night or Saturday, and then be with their family for the whole day of the holiday?

Personally I'd love a week decoupled from Easter, but I didn't love when they tried to do early March. For those who can't afford to travel, the weather here in Early March is usually miserable and for those who can afford to travel, many destinations are filled with college kids. I'd support last week of March (e.g. always start 4th Monday of March), first week of April, or second week of April. Some years would end up with Easter tied to it and some wouldn't.