Any talk of holding classes Monday, on MLK Day?
Anybody know of any schools planning to hold classes Monday, MLK Day, to make up for all these snow days?
A co-worker sent me this note: My apologies if this has already been reported. But my daughter’s private school is planning have school on MLK Day. Are any major school districts doing this?
I told her that I would be surprised if any public schools had kids come in Monday. I have never heard of schools convening on a national holiday.
But the again, I can’t recall ever having three snow days in a row in metro Atlanta so drastic solutions may be in order, especially if we end up with four or five snow days this week.
But I thought I would ask on the blog if anyone has heard mention of holding school on Monday? It would seem more likely that a private school would do this than a public, but I would still think that most schools would not use a major holiday as a makeup day.
My AJC colleague and veteran education reporter Kristina Torres says,”No, not at the public schools. Local boards have to approve any calendar changes and I don’t see any of them moving quickly over the next day or two to vote to have school on Monday’s holiday. (Nevermind that for many schools, MLK day is a day of service and/or celebration and those activities would be seen to have their own value for students.)
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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68 comments Add your comment
Dr. Proud Black Man
January 12th, 2011
12:11 pm
They betta not!
works for me
January 12th, 2011
12:14 pm
I would have no objection to holding school on Monday. President’s day is used as a snow day which means we’ll have school then as well. The reality is, in Atlanta, there’s no way that will fly without major, major protests. Not starting a racial debate, just stating the obvious.
How about...
January 12th, 2011
12:17 pm
How about the 4th of July or Veterans Day? Not! That would not work, and we know it. Our local school boards all through the metro area have enough problems. Do you really think that one of them is willing to go there all for the sake of making up a day? No.
Middle Grades Math Teacher
January 12th, 2011
12:18 pm
I don’t see that happening.
Cherokee Teacher
January 12th, 2011
12:22 pm
Yikes! I wasn’t either (starting a racial debate). I do believe we should honor MLK day…I was just thinking about how much time we’ve already had off.
EdDawg
January 12th, 2011
12:25 pm
I love you Pround Black Man! I still can’t believe they moved that King’s picture to replaced it with Sonny’s – Really – I would say more but the filter would get me for sure!
Teacher
January 12th, 2011
12:25 pm
We are hearing rumors that the State Board of Education is about to make major changes in the high school math curriculm. Anything to that?
Maureen Downey
January 12th, 2011
12:28 pm
@Teacher, John Barge said he would make that a priority, so it is expected. I heard DOE officials say in the fall they were making changes, but not major. That may have changed with Barge’s election.
I will ask about it.
Maureen
Poor Civil Servant
January 12th, 2011
12:33 pm
It is my understanding that when there is a State of Emergency declared the time off from school is excused. The State of Emergency went through Tu, but the Executive Order was good for 21 days from the signing point, which I think was on Monday.
JacobLocke
January 12th, 2011
12:36 pm
Georgia Perimeter is not starting classes until Tuesday, January 18th.
works for me
January 12th, 2011
12:44 pm
@ How About: schools are in session on Veteran’s Day.
Tweets that mention Any talk of holding classes Monday, on MLK Day? | Get Schooled -- Topsy.com
January 12th, 2011
12:49 pm
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Gwinnett doen't care
January 12th, 2011
12:50 pm
I agree with Poor Civil Servant – Nathan Deal should declare that the days do not need to be made up. Didn’t Sonny do that once or twice?
Also, public school on MLK ain’t gonna happen!
Retired Educator
January 12th, 2011
12:54 pm
Speaking of hearing, did anyone else hear the totally distasteful announcement on the media by Atlanta Public Schools to teachers that they would get paid for the days that are being missed because of the weather? GEEZ!!!
Middle School Rocks
January 12th, 2011
12:54 pm
Even when Sonny did not have districts make up for the “fuel holidays” of 2005, Gwinnett still did. We should not makeup any days that cannot be done before the CRCT. After that, there is little point. I do not necessarily believe that there is little point, but the way the system is structured and the fact that parents and students believe that after CRCT it is all downhill, dictates this thought process.
anonymous
January 12th, 2011
12:57 pm
I think Habersham County is using MLK day as a snow make-up day.
Back in the day
January 12th, 2011
12:58 pm
I have worked in Northern school systems. When a state of emergency was declared because of hurricanes, blizzards, etc. the school days missed were not made up, and teachers also did not have to count the days as furloughed. Of course, GA doesn’t operate with common sense, LOL, so who knows what will happen.
Cobb History Teacher
January 12th, 2011
1:02 pm
I don’t see it happening, and I don’t think it would be appropriate. I’d rather extend the school year by a day or two, or they could take the necessary days out of February break or spring break.
decaturparent
January 12th, 2011
1:05 pm
Well, the way our system works… they will surely just tack them on to the end of the school year so our already too short summer will be cut even more. Guess I should go ahead and cancel our vacation plans for the week after school lets out and just write off the deposit loss.
The sensible thing would be to make them up on the no-apparent-reason February week long break that we have just four weeks from now. It’s before the CRCT which would be key. However, then all the ski families would absolutely freak…. so that is unlikely to happen.
Helena
January 12th, 2011
1:05 pm
@Retired Educator — Distasteful? Sure. But I remember last year several counties tried to use the snow and flooding cancellations as furlough days or force teachers to use a sick day. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to pull that again this year.
Another Teacher
January 12th, 2011
1:07 pm
Why does this have to be a “racial” thing. If you think about it, Dr. King wanted people to better themselves and have equal opportunities. Do we need to stay home to honor him? I think he would rather we go to school and teach our children about responsibility. Why not ask his family how they feel about it is that big of a deal.
Cobb History Teacher
January 12th, 2011
1:07 pm
@works for me
As a veteran (of Desert Sheild / Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Noble Eagle) I have no problem working on Veterans day. I see it as a day to remember those who have served rather than a day to go shopping, sleep in, etc. But this wouldn’t solve the problem anyway as the next Veterans day will be in the next school year and we are in school on Veterans Day anyway.
Cobb History Teacher
January 12th, 2011
1:08 pm
@Another Teacher…You are spot on my friend. Dr. King wanted people to better themselves not sit around doing nothing.
Nikole
January 12th, 2011
1:16 pm
Actually, the King family supports a day of service on the MLK holiday, which I wish would become the norm for the day. I will be participating in service, and I doubt that any metro school district will have to make up any of these days. The ajc did a report about it yesterday.
Cobb Math Teacher
January 12th, 2011
1:20 pm
they better not just take days from the february break…many people have booked vacations–both students and teachers. We are now out of the window that most people can cancel them. It is beyond irresponsible to mess with breaks only a month away that were meant as a time for vacations.
Dr NO
January 12th, 2011
1:23 pm
If MLK were alive I think he would be aghast at the state of affairs in the black community, Atl city govt, inner city plight brought on by black dominated metro area govt nationwide and just the general dysfunction of the black community.
Hope everyone enjoyed the snow!!
Hmm
January 12th, 2011
1:26 pm
Wasn’t there a State of Emergency issued last year for the floods? Gwinnett made up at least 1 of those (flood) days on a snow make up day. We also used a “snow day” as a snow day.
Dr. Proud Black Man
January 12th, 2011
1:28 pm
“If MLK were alive I think he would be aghast at the state of affairs in the black community, Atl city govt, inner city plight brought on by black dominated metro area govt nationwide and just the general dysfunction of the black community.”
I think he would be more aghast at the state of affairs in the white community where YOU PEOPLE think you can assassinate the elected officials.
oldtimer
January 12th, 2011
1:30 pm
Metro Nashville-Davidson Co. will use Presedent’s Day as a make-up. We go to school on Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, and for years and years on Memorial Day….So what is the big deal. Students could honor Dr. King by learning!
justin
January 12th, 2011
1:35 pm
If schools can just decide to change a holiday into a regular class day, why bother publishing the school calendar ahead? Just release two-week calendars as we go through the academic year?
knock out punch
January 12th, 2011
1:55 pm
In the past we have given up Good Friday as a snow make up day and President’s Day is always the first make up day. We could make sure we are teaching our students to honor Dr. King’s memory. No disrespect to Dr. King and all those who fought for civl rights, but at this point, I would rather be teaching my students what they need to know for the CRCT than making up days in June when we all know at that time we will just be babysitters.
knock out punch
January 12th, 2011
1:57 pm
Proud Black Man…..that is a very incendiary comment…Who is trying to assassinate whom? Are you referring to the young man in Arizona who is obivously mentally deranged and trying to pin it as whites killing those they disagree with? Wow…..that is all I can say. There will never be common ground among those of us with different view points if comments like that are allowed to be made as if fact.
Teacher-Mom in Cobb
January 12th, 2011
1:59 pm
Cobb County already has teachers scheduled for four (count ‘em) work days at the end of the school year, so it would be easy to tack on school days for kids then. I would much rather see my students for at least two of those days than listen to administrators prattle on and sit in pointless meetings.
Susan
January 12th, 2011
2:00 pm
Atlanta snow storms in 1982 and 1983…make-up days included Memorial Day and one day during spring break…it was years before I realized that folks actually had Memorial Day off from school on a regular basis.
Cobb Mom of 4
January 12th, 2011
2:02 pm
I don’t mind my kids going to school on Monday. I certainly think they need to make up this week of missed classroom time and it should be in whole day increments. No day is sacred. As I am black I don’t think this is a racial issue.
Cabin Fever
January 12th, 2011
2:02 pm
I say go for it … just to piss off Dr (LMAO) PBM!
Dr NO
January 12th, 2011
2:13 pm
LOL…”you people”…LOL.
PS…you are once again incorrect. Johnnny, what do we have for our departing guest…well Dr NO we have a one year supply of Turtle Wax Car Polish and a one year supply of Rice A Roni, the San Franciso treat. Back to you Dr NO.
SOGA teacher
January 12th, 2011
2:13 pm
When I taught in Virginia we had a over a week of snow days due to snow and flooding when the snow melted. We had to make up the day on Memorial Day! Attendance was ridiculously low- I had two students. I would not recommend making up days on a federal holiday!
Angry Black Man
January 12th, 2011
2:14 pm
No I think Dr. King would be more up set with our current culture of our young people not taking the fullest advantage of the rights he and our fore fathers fought for. I think Dr. King would be dismayed that too many youn men and women don’t know who their fathers are but can recite the lyrics to most hip-hop and rap music. I think he’d also be dismayed to find out that when people black and white point out these faults is accused of being racist or assaulting black culture. I don’t know about you but who can be proud of a culture like that.
Top School
January 12th, 2011
2:20 pm
The topic was written in bad taste.
There is no need to debate this issue.
Private schools can do as they wish.
As I’ve already stated…PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS would like to run the public schools like they are PRIVATE. This is the ongoing problem.
Dr NO
January 12th, 2011
2:21 pm
ABM says it better than I!
another teacher
January 12th, 2011
2:26 pm
It’s not just the CRCT, but these days need to be made up BEFORE the graduation test and EOCT’s. If you’ve already schedule your ski vacation for February, sorry, I will miss you in my class. Check online for the homework you owe the day you return.
Another Teacher
January 12th, 2011
2:39 pm
@ Hmmm
Gwinnett made up the flood days and snow days the year before. I distinctly remember going to work on the Tuesday AFTER Memorial day because when we use teacher work days as school days, teachers have to make up the teacher work days at the end of the year. Gwinnett really IS great!
@ Nikole
I think a day of service would be awesome for young people. However, when their only example (parents) are out to serve themselves, in an assortment of ways, I doubt there will be a bunch of people doing more than sitting on their butts contributing to the obesity rate in this country. I teach in Gwinnett and just love taking the free and reduced lunch applications from the students that get dropped off in a Mercedes and live in a country club. I also love telling students to clean up after themselves and have them tell me “that is what janitors and teachers get paid for”. This is the majority of students in my school. I hope one day they will learn how to help those in need with even one day of service.
An American Patriot
January 12th, 2011
2:40 pm
Oh my, Maureen, did you actually say that or is someone else blogging in your stead? Personally I think it’s a great idea, but, then again, I’m a lunatic
catlady
January 12th, 2011
2:57 pm
We had school on MLK before it was a federal holiday. We have also lost Memorial Day before. We’ve been told we have lost our 2 days (for a long weekend) in February. Who knows what is next? However, we can’t change the weather. Our county frequently loses 5 days or more each year. We have lost 9 I think so far this year. We won’t go back this week unless we have a tropical outbreak.
Cabin Fever
January 12th, 2011
2:57 pm
“The topic was written in bad taste.”
Bad taste as per Dr (LMAO) PBM’s viewpoint?
Justin...
January 12th, 2011
3:08 pm
Gwinnett (schools) closed Thursday. Seriously, why not forgo MLK Day on Monday so the kids can actually get back to working on their education!
Add Cobb
January 12th, 2011
3:09 pm
Cobb will be out on Thursday too. And, rightfully so.
WOW!
January 12th, 2011
3:14 pm
“WE ARE (HABERSHAM)” SUPPOSEDLY, USING THE HOLIDAY AS A MAKE-UP DAY BUT WE HAVE A WEEK OFF IN FEBRUARY THAT THE SUPT. HAS PERSONAL PLANS FOR SO WHY SHOULD HE USE THOSE DAYS? JUST A THOUGHT!
WOW!
January 12th, 2011
3:21 pm
I agree that being in school is what Dr. King would have wanted for all but it is considered a holiday and one that school is closed so it should be closed. The point is in our county we have a week off during Feb. that the influential people have made plans for with there family and instead of taking days during that time we chose the King Holiday because our county is less than 15% black. It’s easy to piss off the minority instead of the majority. THAT’S THE PROBLEM!