Anonymous wrote:Oh George...

What did he do? I missed it....

Chinese have holidays too. Holidays should reflect the makeup of the district. I don't think there are enough Muslims to warrant it. If I went to live in Iran, I wouldn't expect to have Christmas off. Of course, I'd probably be stoned to death quickly because I wouldn't obey their backwards laws against women.

Anonymous wrote:

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

A request that we're sure would be granted to Christians in a Muslim country??

I can answer this one for the UAE, one of the most forward thinking and liberal of the Muslim countries.

For the Universities there the answer was: NO. The reason was simple: 80% of the teachers/professors were Christian. It would have shut the university down, so nobody got it off, except when it coincided with Eid holidays. For private sector employees, sometimes, depending on your employer.

Simple, no?

Anonymous wrote:
I do not care if they keep things the way they are...though I object to adding on more holidays (Muslim, buddhist, Hindu, Wicca)...instead I would like to see HS starting later than the present timings, because these teens are sleep deprived.

There is a meeting about this coming up soon in MoCo! Make your voice heard. I'll see if I can find a link.

Sorry to go off topic.

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?

This is what I vote for. Makes the most sense.

I am a Hindu, and there are hundreds of religious holidays we celebrate, so I won't even want to go that route. I apply for leave on the ones that are important to me.

I do not care if they keep things the way they are...though I object to adding on more holidays (Muslim, buddhist, Hindu, Wicca)...instead I would like to see HS starting later than the present timings, because these teens are sleep deprived.

You can celebrate stuff at home in the evening. It's not as if anyone is sitting in a church, mosque, temple - throughout the day.

I like the patriotic holidays - 4th of July, President's day etc...these are the no-stress holidays

I'd rather get off for a religious holiday than MLK day, Columbus Day, President's day or all the other BS "holidays" that get added to our schedule.

Send the kids to school during the summer, and give all religions an equal footing when it comes to religious holidays.

Oh George...

What about Festivus?

Anonymous wrote:
...so here does it stop? Are school's now supposed to close for every religious holiday for every faith? Kids would never be in school.


This is a slippery-slope argument. Which, actually reminds me of, "Well, if we let gays marry, then what next?"

Let's treat closing school for Eid on the merits of closing school for Eid.

No. It is a valid argument. FCPS calendar lists all religious holidays whether kids are in school or not. If all religious holidays are recognized as days off from school, there would be no school. At some point common sense must prevail and in this case, specifically, the number of children and teachers effected by the policy to give the day is a valid determinative factor.

I'm just pragmatic, take your excused absence until there is either a significant percentage of the student body missing on that day, making holding school useless. (although in practice, they might stay even open so they can legally count the day, but no actual work will occur because teachers will just have to repeat everything.) Or, get more muslim teachers. Once you can't get enough subs to replace for that day, then ta-DAA, school closed. And, if some of our schools no longer have many teachers observing those holidays, then don't close for them any more. Even the schools that are closed for jewish holidays aren't closed for all of them - or the multi day ones - isn't rosh hoshanna like a 2 day plus a previous evening thing? I don't know any school that limit activities or closes for the whole thing.

I would support asking them to avoid tests on those days. But here in a couple of years Ramadan will cycle around to be during the school year - is a month of no tests for the fasting kids really practical?

There are other catholic holy days of obligation when schools aren't closed, I assume most attend mass before or after, and I notice some observances have been conveniently moved to a nearby sunday if it's during the school year.

As a non-religious person religious holidays are somewhat inconvenient unless you tie it to a longer school break.

Myself, I love family so getting together at christmas is important. I'd prefer if it actually happened on Dec 21 for the Solstice since that happens regardless of faith - but if the Jesus faithful get me a family holiday, then fine, I'll take it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

A request that we're sure would be granted to Christians in a Muslim country??

How is that relevant?

Not pp but I think it's relevant b/c it reminds us that all things being equal, we're still a religiously tolerant country, even if we don't close an entire school system on a religious holiday because a fractional minority observes it.

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

If you are a religious minority here, this definitely feels and acts like a Christian nation. It's not on paper, but it is in practice.

Anonymous wrote:Jew in NOVA here whose kids aren't off for the Jewish holidays. We pull them out but have no issue with it. Muslim observers should do the same.

But in MCPS, which is the school system under discussion, the kids are off for the Jewish holidays, as well as the Christian ones.