Anonymous wrote:I read this as they are asking that Diwali be marked on the calendar. Not that school be closed on the day.

Sounds great!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, FFS! This is ridiculous.

My DH is Indian, and even he thinks it's gone way overboard. He joked that the people pushing for this petition must not even really be Indian. No 'true' Indian parent pushes for less time in school for their kid!

Is there a petition against this too? Someone needs to start one.

Really, what is the percentage of students/teachers that this affects? Maybe MCPS can set a policy that if it affects over 30% (or whatever percentage) of the school population, they'll acknowledge it on the calendar or give the day off or whatever.

In reality, I've always supported year-round school, so maybe this is a good way to get that to happen! We'll have to acknowledge all the various holidays for all the various religions/cultures, so there are only so many days left for the kids to be in school. They'll need to go year round!

It has occurred to me that the animating force behind this petition might not be a genuine desire to have Diwali off, but rather some sort of attempt to make sure Eid is never a day off by creating a "slippery slope" argument.

I'm the PP, and my DH really was just joking. I honestly do see it as a slippery slope though. It's all way over the op. People of any group can start requesting days off for any reason!

Anonymous wrote:Well if we're trying to make Diwali a holiday, its only fair to make Persian New Year (Norooz) a holiday too. It's on March 20th typically and is more of a cultural, not a religious holiday. Anyone else want to add theirs?

My friend suggested La Befana - Jan. 6. any other Italians interested in writing up a petition?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, FFS! This is ridiculous.

My DH is Indian, and even he thinks it's gone way overboard. He joked that the people pushing for this petition must not even really be Indian. No 'true' Indian parent pushes for less time in school for their kid!

Is there a petition against this too? Someone needs to start one.

Really, what is the percentage of students/teachers that this affects? Maybe MCPS can set a policy that if it affects over 30% (or whatever percentage) of the school population, they'll acknowledge it on the calendar or give the day off or whatever.

In reality, I've always supported year-round school, so maybe this is a good way to get that to happen! We'll have to acknowledge all the various holidays for all the various religions/cultures, so there are only so many days left for the kids to be in school. They'll need to go year round!

It has occurred to me that the animating force behind this petition might not be a genuine desire to have Diwali off, but rather some sort of attempt to make sure Eid is never a day off by creating a "slippery slope" argument.

Conspiracy theory much? Google the sponsoring organizations and people. You can contact them directly.

Anonymous wrote:Oh, FFS! This is ridiculous.

My DH is Indian, and even he thinks it's gone way overboard. He joked that the people pushing for this petition must not even really be Indian. No 'true' Indian parent pushes for less time in school for their kid!

Is there a petition against this too? Someone needs to start one.

Really, what is the percentage of students/teachers that this affects? Maybe MCPS can set a policy that if it affects over 30% (or whatever percentage) of the school population, they'll acknowledge it on the calendar or give the day off or whatever.

In reality, I've always supported year-round school, so maybe this is a good way to get that to happen! We'll have to acknowledge all the various holidays for all the various religions/cultures, so there are only so many days left for the kids to be in school. They'll need to go year round!

It has occurred to me that the animating force behind this petition might not be a genuine desire to have Diwali off, but rather some sort of attempt to make sure Eid is never a day off by creating a "slippery slope" argument.

Oh, FFS! This is ridiculous.

My DH is Indian, and even he thinks it's gone way overboard. He joked that the people pushing for this petition must not even really be Indian. No 'true' Indian parent pushes for less time in school for their kid!

Is there a petition against this too? Someone needs to start one.

Really, what is the percentage of students/teachers that this affects? Maybe MCPS can set a policy that if it affects over 30% (or whatever percentage) of the school population, they'll acknowledge it on the calendar or give the day off or whatever.

In reality, I've always supported year-round school, so maybe this is a good way to get that to happen! We'll have to acknowledge all the various holidays for all the various religions/cultures, so there are only so many days left for the kids to be in school. They'll need to go year round!

Anonymous wrote:Well if we're trying to make Diwali a holiday, its only fair to make Persian New Year (Norooz) a holiday too. It's on March 20th typically and is more of a cultural, not a religious holiday. Anyone else want to add theirs?

Passover! It's in April for 2016. The first night is on a Friday night this year but in 2017 it will begin on a Monday night.

Anonymous wrote:Well if we're trying to make Diwali a holiday, its only fair to make Persian New Year (Norooz) a holiday too. It's on March 20th typically and is more of a cultural, not a religious holiday. Anyone else want to add theirs?

I teach for MCPS, am Catholic, and support all these minority holidays because they strengthen families and strong families generally make emotionally healthy, successful children. I can live with the switch to a professional day. I'd love Ash Wed off, but I've accepted it's never going to happen. I fast at school and attend 7 pm Mass.

Well if we're trying to make Diwali a holiday, its only fair to make Persian New Year (Norooz) a holiday too. It's on March 20th typically and is more of a cultural, not a religious holiday. Anyone else want to add theirs?

love this line -

The day could be designated during one of the county’s fall professional development days, so that no extra day is needed.

Diwali, like Eid, changes from year to year.

In 2016, Diwali is on October 30.
In 2017, Diwali is on October 19.

So I guess the system will just switch up its professional days each year to accommodate both traditions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a Federal holiday.

Yes, because it's a Christian holiday and Christian holidays are normalized in a way that the people who celebrate them are reluctant to acknowledge. It shouldn't be a federal holiday.

all I have to say is that thank god it's a federal holiday. Our offices have to remain open and I would hate to be stuck working every Christmas.

This is how I feel every Rosh and Yom Kippur. Sure you can take the day off but if things are crazy at the office, it looks really bad. I would have had to cancel a work trip this year and instead fasted through a day on-site with a client. It was extremely difficult and I didn't get to observe the day.

I will support this! I'd trade MLK, presidents day, columbus day and maybe a few of the other shitty federal holidays for days with actual meaning. Plus the Friday after Thanksgiving would be nice!

So MLK was shitty?

MLK would probably ask you to read with a bit more care.

not necessary

b/c the sentiment is there

PP (or you?) doesn't appreciate any of those days and even said that MLK was just another shopping day. I have AA friends - former activists - who attend church/community events on that day. It's not another "shopping" day.

Furthermore - ". . . a few of THE OTHER SHITTY FEDERAL HOLIDAYS . . . " means that the PP (or you) has added MLK - a federal holiday- to the mix. Therefore, it's now been defined as shitty.

Maybe the PP should learn to craft her/his sentences better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a Federal holiday.

Yes, because it's a Christian holiday and Christian holidays are normalized in a way that the people who celebrate them are reluctant to acknowledge. It shouldn't be a federal holiday.

all I have to say is that thank god it's a federal holiday. Our offices have to remain open and I would hate to be stuck working every Christmas.

This is how I feel every Rosh and Yom Kippur. Sure you can take the day off but if things are crazy at the office, it looks really bad. I would have had to cancel a work trip this year and instead fasted through a day on-site with a client. It was extremely difficult and I didn't get to observe the day.

I will support this! I'd trade MLK, presidents day, columbus day and maybe a few of the other shitty federal holidays for days with actual meaning. Plus the Friday after Thanksgiving would be nice!

So MLK was shitty?

Well it's a shopping holiday instead of a religious or family holiday (like Thanksgiving). So yeah I'd trade it for a holiday with meaning.

You are arguing that MLK should be traded for Black Friday because MLK day is a "shopping day"?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a Federal holiday.

Yes, because it's a Christian holiday and Christian holidays are normalized in a way that the people who celebrate them are reluctant to acknowledge. It shouldn't be a federal holiday.

all I have to say is that thank god it's a federal holiday. Our offices have to remain open and I would hate to be stuck working every Christmas.

This is how I feel every Rosh and Yom Kippur. Sure you can take the day off but if things are crazy at the office, it looks really bad. I would have had to cancel a work trip this year and instead fasted through a day on-site with a client. It was extremely difficult and I didn't get to observe the day.

I will support this! I'd trade MLK, presidents day, columbus day and maybe a few of the other shitty federal holidays for days with actual meaning. Plus the Friday after Thanksgiving would be nice!

So MLK was shitty?

MLK would probably ask you to read with a bit more care.

Maybe we should federally subsidize private schools instead? What's the difference?

Don't they subsidize Catholic schools in Canada?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. I hope this petition passes. One day for Diwali shouldn't put a dent on anything.

Without commenting on whether Diwali should be off (and remember that the litmus test is whether a substantial portion of kids would miss school), do you remember the disaster of trying to include Eid off from school? One day absolutely puts a dent in the school calendar because there are a mandated number of instructional days, so another day needs to come off the calendar if you put Diwali on it.

Or just add a day and get out a day later in June.