Anonymous wrote:Spoken like a smug member of the dominant culture. I was born here, I got mine, you're not like me, so screw you people.

Not being smug. Explaining fact. Yes, Christian faith is dominant in this country. It's just the way it is. At least in this country, however, no one will object if you practice a different faith (whereas in some countries they will execute you for that). But demanding that public institutions close out of respect for a faith followed by a tiny minority of people is impractical.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next thing you'll know the Christians will want Christmas, and Easter, and even their Sabbath off.

Well, this is a Christian nation, so that's perfectly reasonable. 76% of Americans are either protestant or Catholic (http://www.gallup.com/poll/151760/christianity-remains-dominant-religion-united-states.aspx) so, your flippancy is kind of dumb.

No, this is not a Christian nation.

Although you wouldn't know this from Maryland law, which requires schools to be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2000-01-19/news/0001190202_1_religion-easter-supreme-court

Yes, it is. Trying to pretend otherwise is disengenous and makes you look patently ignorant. Which one are you being now?

PP, evidently you think that the US is a Christian country because the majority of people who live in the US are Christian? But that is not what makes a country Christian (or not Christian).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Which Muslim nations do anything special on Christian holidays?

Is that what you think America should do? Sink to the lowest common denominator?

I'm proud of the religious freedom and diversity that make America what it is.

+1

P.S. That "Christian nation" thing? Call the Cato Institute, have them send you a copy of the Constitution, and when you get it, read the First Amendment.

You're a literal person, aren't you? "Christian nation" refers to the fact that the overwhelming percentage of the population identifies in the Christian faith -- 3/4 of the country. The fact that our public institutions observe Christian holidays is pragmatic (can't be very productive if only a quarter of workers or students show up, can you?) and amounts to us being a de factor Christian nation. Surely you can grasp this? I know folks at the Cato Institute -- give them a call and they'll tell you the same thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next thing you'll know the Christians will want Christmas, and Easter, and even their Sabbath off.

Well, this is a Christian nation, so that's perfectly reasonable. 76% of Americans are either protestant or Catholic (http://www.gallup.com/poll/151760/christianity-remains-dominant-religion-united-states.aspx) so, your flippancy is kind of dumb.

No, this is not a Christian nation.

Although you wouldn't know this from Maryland law, which requires schools to be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2000-01-19/news/0001190202_1_religion-easter-supreme-court

Yes, it is. Trying to pretend otherwise is disengenous and makes you look patently ignorant. Which one are you being now?

Anonymous wrote:Why don't they just do year 'round schooling. (X number of weeks in, X days off, repeat) Breaks happen when they fall on the school calendar, and everyone sucks it up regardless of religion. If your religion deems you need a day off, take your kid out for the day. Equal enough?

Christian here. I would 100% support this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not Muslim, but I support this position. This is NOT a Christian nation. Has anybody ever heard of "religious freedom?!" I don't know how people can be indignant about this when MCPS observes all the Jewish holidays. Why the double standard?

Do you support tolerance of Christians living in Muslim countries?

Start your own thread. That is totally off topic

Anonymous wrote:Spoken like a smug member of the dominant culture. I was born here, I got mine, you're not like me, so screw you people.

+1 so much for "all men are created equal".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next thing you'll know the Christians will want Christmas, and Easter, and even their Sabbath off.

Well, this is a Christian nation, so that's perfectly reasonable. 76% of Americans are either protestant or Catholic (http://www.gallup.com/poll/151760/christianity-remains-dominant-religion-united-states.aspx) so, your flippancy is kind of dumb.

No, this is not a Christian nation.

Although you wouldn't know this from Maryland law, which requires schools to be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2000-01-19/news/0001190202_1_religion-easter-supreme-court

Anonymous wrote:I am not Muslim, but I support this position. This is NOT a Christian nation. Has anybody ever heard of "religious freedom?!" I don't know how people can be indignant about this when MCPS observes all the Jewish holidays. Why the double standard?

Do you support tolerance of Christians living in Muslim countries?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Which Muslim nations do anything special on Christian holidays?

Is that what you think America should do? Sink to the lowest common denominator?

I'm proud of the religious freedom and diversity that make America what it is.

I like how you call Muslim nations "the lowest common denominator" while claiming to be proud of religious freedom and diversity, inadvertently showing your own bias. The least you could do is at least google "Muslim countries that have Christmas off" or something. And I say this while agreeing with your larger point.

Yeah, I had that same reaction to the confused poster.

Anonymous wrote:

Not any longer. If you have one kid in Catholic school and another in public, your spring breaks will never coincide. It's now just "spring break" and the schools plans accordingly and set it up when it best suits their needs, except for the Catholic schools which adhere to Easter week. And winter breaks are all over the place, running from one week long to 6 weeks for some Ivies.

Name one public or secular private school that was in session on Christmas or Easter one time in the past 100 years.

Uh, quite a few. Or are you missing my point. I'm not saying they are holding class on Easter Sunday or on Christmas Day, what I'm saying is that secular and public schools plan their spring break when they feel like it - it has nothing to do with Easter week, which is a holy week preceeding Easter. Catholic schools always give that week off because it is Holy Week. The publics and privates do not give that week off or if they do it is coincidental and hasn't happened to us in a long time. They give off whatever week works best for them and for their staff and teachers. So every year we have to get out the school calendars and schedule three different kids with three different breaks so we can't do anything as a family because the publics and secular privates don't give a damn about Easter.

Why don't they just do year 'round schooling. (X number of weeks in, X days off, repeat) Breaks happen when they fall on the school calendar, and everyone sucks it up regardless of religion. If your religion deems you need a day off, take your kid out for the day. Equal enough?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Which Muslim nations do anything special on Christian holidays?

Is that what you think America should do? Sink to the lowest common denominator?

I'm proud of the religious freedom and diversity that make America what it is.

I like how you call Muslim nations "the lowest common denominator" while claiming to be proud of religious freedom and diversity, inadvertently showing your own bias. The least you could do is at least google "Muslim countries that have Christmas off" or something. And I say this while agreeing with your larger point.

Not any longer. If you have one kid in Catholic school and another in public, your spring breaks will never coincide. It's now just "spring break" and the schools plans accordingly and set it up when it best suits their needs, except for the Catholic schools which adhere to Easter week. And winter breaks are all over the place, running from one week long to 6 weeks for some Ivies.

Name one public or secular private school that was in session on Christmas or Easter one time in the past 100 years.

Better idea: Scheduled "breaks" whenever works best for the schools (winter break, spring break, summer break, etc.), and then 10 or so "flex days" to be taken as needed. Need to be home on Oct. 15th? No problem. Halloween is a part of your religion? Take the 31st off, and November 1st for your sugar hangover.

It'll never happen, though. There are already too many idiots thinking there's a "war on Christmas."