The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
The superintendent’s decision to hold school on Presidents Day is drawing howls of protest online.
More than 1,100 people have joined a group called “No School on Presidents’ Day!” on the Facebook social networking site. School will be held Monday, Feb. 16, to make up for the snowless snow day Jan. 20.
Jennie Carder, parent of a senior at Ocean Lakes High, posted the page Monday after learning there would be school on the holiday. She and others argue students have enough time in the classroom as it is, and the additional day will disrupt family plans.
“When students grouse, teachers say ‘Have your parents write a letter,’” Carder said. “Usually it stops there.”
But with the page - which is open only to its members and can't be seen by the general public - students have an outlet. Some have taken their discontent further and emailed the superintendent. He has received 70 complaints thus far.
Brady Ramstad, a 16-year-old sophomore at First Colonial High, said the effort is getting students, many strangers to each other, to work with each other across school lines.
“Every VB student and parent is bonding together to help fight for it,” he wrote on the group page.
But Superintendent Jim Merrill said Wednesday he’s unswayed by the protest.
“It’s kind of simple from my perspective,” he said. “Instructional time is too sacred and I’m not about to give it up. We shouldn’t be going backwards.”
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FYI
Just an FYI - if you want your children to have more vacations then a better education send them to the Norfolk Public School district. I would have to say every other week...1/2 days, days off, longer weekends. And then...find out how many VA Beach Public schools are accredited and how many in Norfolk are or are NOT!
Just a thought...oh and what I've read is that Norfolk is not going to make up their snow day. BRAVO!
Schools open for President's Day
It doesn't make sense for Virginia Beach Public Schools to be open on President's Day when they have set aside 3 days for bad weather. If they are going to make our kids go to school on February 16th, then I think they should knock off a day at the end of the school year. In closing what is the use in having days set aside for bad weather if the kids are going to have to make them up anyway.
directed comment
To everybody complaining about people complaining: you are just as bad. these kids are voicing their opinion as you are yours. just because you dont like the way they do it, or what they're doing it for, does not mean you need to bash them. be glad they're at least ATTEMPTING to do something. just imagine if all the students just sat around and complained without knowing what they can do. so what if it doesnt get them anywhere? at least they're taking action.
well I'm actually a student
well I'm actually a student at first colonial and I would love nothing more then to have presidents day off. But, I don't think it's that big of a deal that we don't have it off. Yes we have three extra days compared to other school systems and yes we didn't even have snow but, if you think of it in the reverse. We have some of the best teachers and are offered many more opportunities then other school systems. So if people don't want to go to school then stay home if not go get the education that your lucky to have.
Good grief. If your family
Good grief. If your family has significant, unchangeable plans for the day, take the freaking day off and have your parents write a note! If you were going to spend the day playing X Box..or whatever..then accept it for what it is (a make-up day) and go to school! This is NOT rocket science, people!
cs you are right
I was not serious. I was joking of course. Just throwing out an argument that might get the kids and parents what they want- a day out of work. In today's climate of liberals cringing at the mere hint of a racial slight, the argument might get these guys president's day back. I am sure Louise Lucas would approve of the argument.
get your learn on
VBAttorney, if I may be allowed to quote John McEnroe... You canNOT be SERIOUS!!
"It figures that the first time in history that office for which this holiday celebrates is filled by an African-American"
This holiday is officially known as George Washington's Birthday by the federal government and as George Washington Day in Virginia. It has NOTHING to do with the current occupant of the White House.
Now that someone is playing the race card for a holiday celebrating a slave-owning white man, I think I've seen it all.
Make up day
NC uses Saturdays as makeup days.....and...I agree with some of the comments about: let's say here, hypothetically speaking, that a makeup day HAD to be scheduled on Martin Luther King's b-day, would they have griped???? Or, would it have even been THOUGHT of to ask THEM to use THEIR day as a makeup day? YOU know that answer....when I was growing up, we got the main President's birthday's off, in HONOR of them. Now, we get MLK's birthday off, and our PRESIDENTS all get grouped into one lump, and some schools don't even take it off, but you can bet your boots, MLK day is ALWAYS taken off...now, who looks prejudiced HERE, huh??? Good for the goose, good for the gander, as they say...
Oh horror an extra school day!
Seems like every time I turn around, kids are out of school or leaving early for some asinine reason or another - teacher workdays, early release days, federal holidays, just-because-we-feel-like-closing-school days, and let's not even mention the three-month vacation plus Spring and Winter breaks. And now these kids and their parents are complaining because they have - oh, the horror! - AN EXTRA SCHOOL DAY. And - gasp! oh no! - VACATION PLANS may have to be CHANGED! Please. That's called LIFE. It happens. Put on your grown-up panties and deal with it, and send your kids to school where they belong instead of enabling their entitlement-minded nonsense.
Teachable moment
It seems that many readers need to return to school and sit in a class or two themselves. First of all, this country witnessed an inaguration of historic proportions. Parents, can you take a few minutes to actually teach you student something, or must the "underworked,overpaid" teachers do everything for you? What a wonderful opportunity you missed to teach your young person about civic responsibility and volunteer service to their community. Would I have chosen to be at work? Absolutely - the day was current event of epic proportions, and I would have loved to have shared it with my students.
I also would like to encourage all "snow experts" out there to obtain their commercial drivers license and apply to drive a bus for their local school division. On a clear day these men and women have quite the task to safely transport children to and from their destination. On a day where reports of "the storm just hasn't formed yet" permeated the airwaves, those in charge of the school systems across the area did what they believed to ensure the safety of our children: yours AND mine.
As far as aking up a snow day on the MLK holiday - check the law. It's isn't legally allowed. Go bac