A Connecticut school district is facing backlash after a controversial school board vote last week to remove Veterans Day and Columbus Day from its official holiday calendar.
Stamford Public Schools students will no longer receive both holidays for the next two school years after the board voted 5-3 Tuesday night to eliminate both holidays. Reported by the Stanford Advocate.
Board member Joshua Esses made a motion at Tuesday’s meeting to remove the holiday from the school calendar, arguing that the school year is too far into summer and ends in mid-June.
According to local newspapers, state law requires students to have at least 180 school days, but Esses said “it should be shorter because it’s better educationally for the students.”
He also proposed removing the second day of the religious holidays Eid al-Fitr and Rosh Hashanah from the list of official holidays for similar reasons, but the motion received no support. The paper reported.
Esses noted that Veterans Day and Columbus Day would instead be recognized as state requirements and celebrated with lesson plans around the day’s respective meanings.
Still, the board’s decision, which was brought up and discussed by another commissioner at a separate meeting earlier this month, drew the ire of veterans and Italian-Americans.
Alfredo Fusco, a military veteran who is a founding member of the Stamford chapter of the Italian American service organization UNICO. told ABC7 The school district’s announcement was a double whammy.
“That was a gut punch. It was terrible. There was no tilt,” Fusco told the station.
The district defended its decision to the Post, noting that other school districts in the state have already kept schools open for the two-day weekend.
“Stanford Public Schools already hosts many events honoring local veterans and is excited to continue that tradition on Veterans Day in 2024 and 2025,” a Stamford Public Schools spokesperson said in a statement. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Additionally, our Teaching and Learning Department is working to develop programs related to Columbus Day that will be offered to students in commemoration of the federal holiday.”
Much of the debate stems from recent years in which some Americans have rejected Columbus Day’s specific role in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day, citing the sordid history surrounding the treatment of indigenous peoples by Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Focus on what you are doing.
Another board member, Barsha Munshi South, said she observed a class titled “Columbus: Hero or Villain?” Her vacation at Dolan Middle School made her rethink her vacation.
“The students are using primary sources to research the true history of Columbus, and based on their study of primary sources, I can say that no, they have not concluded that Columbus was a hero,” Professor Munshi South said. said the Advocate.
“I don’t think it makes sense to teach students one thing in class and then take a day off on Columbus Day. It’s a mixed message for students,” she said.
But another school board member said he viewed Columbus as a hero and didn’t think polarization on the issue should influence the school board’s decisions.
“There’s a lot of polarization when it comes to curriculum, and painting Columbus as a villain is polarizing and I don’t think you can do that publicly,” Becky Hammann said, according to the paper. Reported.
A spokesperson for Stamford Public Schools said, “Following the passage of a motion on Tuesday, January 23, to open schools on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, the Stamford Public Schools Board of Education has decided to close schools for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. I have approved the Stamford Public Schools calendar for the school year.” statement.
“Some nearby school districts already have schools open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day. The Stamford Public Schools calendar shows that both Columbus Day and Veterans Day occur during school hours. It will be recognized along with other holidays and religious observances.”
