When did schools stop recognizing Federal holidays?

In My Humble Opinion
1

So I noticed a number of signs around town today reminding me that various facilities will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Meanwhile, I have a number of chores to complete this weekend because I have school Monday. And I began to count up all the days that were holidays when I was a kid but my school district doesn’t close on.

Columbus Day (Does anyone but the feds have that day off anymore?)
Veterans’ Day
MLK Jr Day (yes, I know it didn’t exist when I was a kid, but it was always a holiday from its inception until recently)
Presidents’ Day

What do schools in your area do? Has that changes since you were a kid?
I know that growing up, we were rather close to DC, so we had to have all those days off, but does anyone else?

2

Our school district closes on MLK Day, Presidents Day, and Veterans Day. Not Columbus Day.

3

Our schools are out MLK day. I don’t think we’ve ever had Columbus day out. Next will be prez. day and then Spring Break.

4

Our schools are closed MLK and Presidents’ Day. I don’t recall if we’ve ever been off on Columbus Day or Veteran’s Day.

Schools need to be in session X number of days per year. They need days off for weather and for teacher in-services. The school calendar needs to revolve around their testing schedule, too. And for many schools all over the country, schools need to be out before it gets too hot because they don’t have air conditioning.

5

My daughter goes to Catholic school, but checking the public school calendar here in Chicago, they’re off Columbus Day, (Veteran’s Day was on a Saturday this year, so I don’t know about that), MLK day, and President’s Day.

Looking at my calendar for our Catholic school, they’re off for the same days.

ETA: Yes, looking up the 2016 calendar, CPS (Chicago public schools) were also out for Veteran’s Day that year, when it fell on a Friday.

So we get all those days off.

6

some places have certain holidays on a “its up to the school/school district” for getting off

in Indiana one year we went on mlk and veterans day because the principal thought wed get more out of assemblies honoring the subjects than the day off …

7

Public schools are off here (Santa Clara County, CA) on Monday. I think that’s the case fore the whole state. But keep in mind that states are not required to recognize federal holidays. It makes sense that they usually would, but they don’t have to. Schools get so much time off here that they now have to start the school year in mid August to make up the time. I kind of feel sorry for the kids. Sure, they get the same total number of days off, but what a bummer to have to start school so early.

8

Out of curiosity, could you tell us what school, or at least what kind of school?

9

I’m surprised if public schools are open on MLK Day. I thought the whole “MLK shouldn’t be a public holiday” thing was settled like 30 years ago.

I never had Columbus Day as a kid. We had International Women’s Day in the spring instead.

10

My school closes for all of those days. We used to get President’s day off, but now kids get President’s week off.

11

I can kind of understand why MLK day isn’t off. We just got back from Christmas break on the 8th. To take a holiday again so soon would be very disruptive.

To continue the thoughts, When I was growing up, began after Labor Day and continued into June. Every school west of the Mississippi I have been involved with begins in August (one began July 31 :eek:) and finish right before Memorial Day.
I wonder if the new calendars that are being put into practice (year-round, and/or 4 days a week) will catch on nationwide.

12

Our district is off for MLK on Monday, and I know there are other federal holidays taken, too. Columbus Day is never one of them though.

13

We call it “ski week”. Everyone was taking it off, so the schools just gave in.

14

All four in my school. Though Veterans Day sometimes is repurposed as a faculty work day.

Also Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (when they fall within the school week) and Good Friday. And Memorial Day. And for the sake of completeness Thanksgiving and the day after, and the Christmas-New Years Day thing. That might be it.

15

You are talking about a US public school that gets Good Friday off? I’ve never heard of that. I know it’s fairly common in Europe, but not the US in my recollection.

16

Here in Maryland, state law mandates that the schools be off on Good Friday and that weird holiday, ‘Easter Monday.’

17

It’s actually not “days” but “minutes.” So schools can build extra days off during the year by extending the school day by a few minutes. Add 10 minutes to the school day and you can take an extra week for Winter Break.

18

A remnant of the “Catholic Colony” days?

Easter is a weird kind of holiday, because it hasn’t really been secularized, except for small children. If you’re not religious, and you don’t have kids around, there really isn’t anything to celebrate.

19

I went to school before there was an MLK day or a president’s day, although we alternated between taking off Lincoln’s birthday and Washington’s. I never heard of Columbus Day as a school closing holiday until my daughter went to college in Mass. Now my grandson in Boston gets it off, but I don’t know that anyone outside of Mass recognizes it.

20

Things I learned today: Chicago Public Schools stopped closing for Casimir Pulaski Day in 2012. I did not know that.