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Jan1975
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Member since 8/09 3846 total posts
Name:
Sarah
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by jgl
Posted by MommaG
I think the point we're trying to make is the public schools are not religious entities and should not be closed for any religious observance. How the district works out who gets time off and how to cover the classes of those who do is their business.
I understand that but how do you teach when half your class is missing observing a holiday? We would be playing catchup all the time and there just isnt time for that
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Message edited 7/4/2010 11:54:58 PM.
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Posted 7/4/10 11:53 PM  |
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by SweetApril
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Excellent point. 
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| Posted 7/5/10 7:49 AM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
The country was created based on religious freedom - let us ALL not forget that. Happy belated Independence Day
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| Posted 7/5/10 8:36 AM |
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luckyinlove
I love my baby girls!
Member since 12/06 2441 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
People need to stop comparing schools to the work force. We are dealing with children here, not adults. I think that the people who are complaining about the schools having off for the summer and religious holidays are really just jabbing at the teachers who also get off. Regardless of that fact, you have to realize that the reason why the teachers get off is bc the kids have off and need to be off to celebrate their important holidays, or else as many others have stated many times in this thread, they would all take off anyway, and it would be pointless to run a school building for a day when no students are present. End of discussion. There is no changing that fact unless you want to eliminate the holidays. I don't know why people are still debating this topic -- it isn't even debatable IMO.
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| Posted 7/5/10 10:29 AM |
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mrswask
Pookie Love
Member since 5/05 20229 total posts
Name:
Michal
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by luckyinlove
People need to stop comparing schools to the work force. We are dealing with children here, not adults. I think that the people who are complaining about the schools having off for the summer and religious holidays are really just jabbing at the teachers who also get off. Regardless of that fact, you have to realize that the reason why the teachers get off is bc the kids have off and need to be off to celebrate their important holidays, or else as many others have stated many times in this thread, they would all take off anyway, and it would be pointless to run a school building for a day when no students are present. End of discussion. There is no changing that fact unless you want to eliminate the holidays. I don't know why people are still debating this topic -- it isn't even debatable IMO.
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| Posted 7/5/10 11:31 AM |
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MommaG
Yay Spring!
Member since 5/05 5133 total posts
Name:
Gloria
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by SweetApril
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Excellent point.
My point is not to ignore religion but they only recognize the one religion and ignore the others.
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| Posted 7/5/10 12:33 PM |
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by SweetApril
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Excellent point.
My point is not to ignore religion but they only recognize the one religion and ignore the others.
Which one religion? We have off for major Christian and Jewish holidays. I won't be surprised if changes are made, at least in urban areas, to address major Muslim holidays also, as their population is growing.
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| Posted 7/5/10 12:41 PM |
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MommaG
Yay Spring!
Member since 5/05 5133 total posts
Name:
Gloria
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by SweetApril
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Excellent point.
My point is not to ignore religion but they only recognize the one religion and ignore the others.
Which one religion? We have off for major Christian and Jewish holidays. I won't be surprised if changes are made, at least in urban areas, to address major Muslim holidays also, as their population is growing.
The schools close for Jewish holy days - Easter is always a Sunday and most people who celebrate Christmas because of Santa and presents, not the birth of Christ. The schools don't close for All Saint's Day or Ascension Thursday, both of which are holy days where you are supposed to go to mass. And as you said, Muslim or Buddhism or any other religion is not represented.
If they want to go with the "separation of church and state" idea, they have to go completely with it - not just when it suits their purposes. I'm all for kids learning about all types of religions. I just don't like the work-around they use as an excuse for closing for Jewish holidays. Either you go with the separation or you don't - you don't make exceptions.
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| Posted 7/5/10 1:20 PM |
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luckyinlove
I love my baby girls!
Member since 12/06 2441 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by SweetApril
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Excellent point.
My point is not to ignore religion but they only recognize the one religion and ignore the others.
Which one religion? We have off for major Christian and Jewish holidays. I won't be surprised if changes are made, at least in urban areas, to address major Muslim holidays also, as their population is growing.
The schools close for Jewish holy days - Easter is always a Sunday and most people who celebrate Christmas because of Santa and presents, not the birth of Christ. The schools don't close for All Saint's Day or Ascension Thursday, both of which are holy days where you are supposed to go to mass. And as you said, Muslim or Buddhism or any other religion is not represented.
If they want to go with the "separation of church and state" idea, they have to go completely with it - not just when it suits their purposes. I'm all for kids learning about all types of religions. I just don't like the work-around they use as an excuse for closing for Jewish holidays. Either you go with the separation or you don't - you don't make exceptions.
I understand your point, but Ascension Thursday isn't a holiday that is celebrated by people, it is a day of religious observance, but most people don't spend any amount of time for it. The Jewish holy days are celebrated or rather observed so that the students would need to be off to take part in them. The reason why Buddhist and Muslim days are not acknowledged is bc most schools do not have high populations. In my school, we have very few and those students do take off and are not penalized for taking off. If there were a considerate # of them, I am sure that the district would consider planning our days off around them.
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| Posted 7/5/10 3:18 PM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Schools are closed on weekends for a reason. Sunday AND Saturday are SABBATH days in both Christianity as well as Judaism. If memory serves me correctly, there are some branches of Christianity that observe the Sabbath on Saturdays. So yes, the school week as well as big business are based around RELIGION to begin with - like it or not.
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| Posted 7/5/10 3:53 PM |
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MissJones
I need a nap!
Member since 5/05 22136 total posts
Name:
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by luckyinlove
People need to stop comparing schools to the work force. We are dealing with children here, not adults. I think that the people who are complaining about the schools having off for the summer and religious holidays are really just jabbing at the teachers who also get off. Regardless of that fact, you have to realize that the reason why the teachers get off is bc the kids have off and need to be off to celebrate their important holidays, or else as many others have stated many times in this thread, they would all take off anyway, and it would be pointless to run a school building for a day when no students are present. End of discussion. There is no changing that fact unless you want to eliminate the holidays. I don't know why people are still debating this topic -- it isn't even debatable IMO.
Thank you!!! 
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| Posted 7/5/10 6:45 PM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by SweetApril
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Excellent point.
My point is not to ignore religion but they only recognize the one religion and ignore the others.
Which one religion? We have off for major Christian and Jewish holidays. I won't be surprised if changes are made, at least in urban areas, to address major Muslim holidays also, as their population is growing.
The schools close for Jewish holy days - Easter is always a Sunday and most people who celebrate Christmas because of Santa and presents, not the birth of Christ. The schools don't close for All Saint's Day or Ascension Thursday, both of which are holy days where you are supposed to go to mass. And as you said, Muslim or Buddhism or any other religion is not represented.
If they want to go with the "separation of church and state" idea, they have to go completely with it - not just when it suits their purposes. I'm all for kids learning about all types of religions. I just don't like the work-around they use as an excuse for closing for Jewish holidays. Either you go with the separation or you don't - you don't make exceptions.
All Saint's Day and the Feast of the Ascension are holy days of obligation in the Catholic Church only. Catholics aren't the only Christians. All Christians observe Christmas. You can't compare the two. I won't even dignify your comment about why "most" people celebrate Christmas with a response...
Additionally, the Catholic Church doesn't require Catholics to not work, drive, etc. on holy days of obligation -- Therefore, there isn't a need for children to be off from school as necessary for the major Jewish holy days. Catholic children can attend mass later in the day as many churches have additional masses for holy days.
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| Posted 7/5/10 6:55 PM |
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Kara
Now Zagat Rated!
Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
Name:
They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
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| Posted 7/5/10 6:59 PM |
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DiamondGirl
You are my I love you
Member since 7/09 18802 total posts
Name:
DiamondMama
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
Posted by Kara
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by MommaG
Posted by MrsProfessor
Posted by SweetApril
Not only that, but honestly, if we ignore religion then we ignore the culture of the children. What kind of a message are we sending then???? Are we saying that even though you think your religion is important, it isn't important enough to even recogonize??? Sometimes we take political correctness too far and in the long run it is only going to damage our children.
Excellent point.
My point is not to ignore religion but they only recognize the one religion and ignore the others.
Which one religion? We have off for major Christian and Jewish holidays. I won't be surprised if changes are made, at least in urban areas, to address major Muslim holidays also, as their population is growing.
The schools close for Jewish holy days - Easter is always a Sunday and most people who celebrate Christmas because of Santa and presents, not the birth of Christ. The schools don't close for All Saint's Day or Ascension Thursday, both of which are holy days where you are supposed to go to mass. And as you said, Muslim or Buddhism or any other religion is not represented.
If they want to go with the "separation of church and state" idea, they have to go completely with it - not just when it suits their purposes. I'm all for kids learning about all types of religions. I just don't like the work-around they use as an excuse for closing for Jewish holidays. Either you go with the separation or you don't - you don't make exceptions.
All Saint's Day and the Feast of the Ascension are holy days of obligation in the Catholic Church only. Catholics aren't the only Christians. All Christians observe Christmas. You can't compare the two. I won't even dignify your comment about why "most" people celebrate Christmas with a response...
Additionally, the Catholic Church doesn't require Catholics to not work, drive, etc. on holy days of obligation -- Therefore, there isn't a need for children to be off from school as necessary for the major Jewish holy days. Catholic children can attend mass later in the day as many churches have additional masses for holy days.
Thank you Kara, you said everything I wanted to but much better and nicer than I would have  
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| Posted 7/5/10 9:11 PM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
Name:
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Re: Discuss: Should NYC public schools be closed for more than 2 religions' holidays?
I really don't see where separation of church and state comes in here. (and believe me, I am an atheist and a huge supporter of separation of church and state). There are 180 school days required by law. period. Most districts schedule days that would make learning the most efficient. Having a large portion of your student body out for religious observation makes the school less efficient; be it Christians, Jews, Muslims, wiccans, etc - doesn't matter, teachers have posted about how having many absent in a class on a day affects the learning process.
New Orleans gets the week off of Mardi Gras. Brooklyn and Queens Schools get off Anniversary Day (although maybe not for much longer)
It doesn't have to be religious, but if a large number of students are going to be out, it just makes sense to close and stay open on a day when students will be in school.
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| Posted 7/6/10 9:52 AM |
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