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Schools to Have Good Friday Off Next Year
Complaints from parents, teachers spur Polk officials to alter calendar.
Last Modified: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 6:44 a.m.
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LAKELAND | Good riddance to school on Good Friday.
After receiving numerous complaints from parents and teachers about having classes on Good Friday this year, Polk County School District made the day a holiday for next year.
In exchange, the last day of classes before winter break next year will be Friday, Dec. 19. Previously, winter break was to start a day earlier.
School Board members asked district officials to tweak the schedule after receiving a flurry of e-mails and phone calls earlier this spring from parents upset that classes were held on Good Friday.
For decades, Good Friday had been a student holiday.
Before this year, Good Friday had been a work day for teachers, but a holiday for students.
Few teachers and students missed class this year, but some parents criticized the new schedule.
Board member Lori Cunningham said she heard dozens of complaints from parents about the change.
Cunningham and other board members discussed the schedule then asked district officials to make the change.
School officials denied that they tried to make a more secular calendar this year.
At the time, they said that the day "just happened" to be a school day after fulfilling requirements to meet the state-mandated 180 school days, such as determining the first day of school, spring break and having off on federal holidays.
Before Good Friday this year, Bruce Tonjes, associate superintendent of school-based operations, sent a letter to principals asking that they be flexible with parents and students.
"We do need to continue to treat tomorrow as a normal day of school, but since having school on Good Friday is not a practice we have done recently, flexibility in dealing with accepting notes and calls from parents is the recommended approach," Tonjes
wrote.
Good Friday next year is April 10.
John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-802-7588.
Comments
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May 14, 2008 4:31:52 am
RE: Read the article
Power to the people!
May 14, 2008 5:08:41 am
So much for separation of church and state.
May 14, 2008 6:02:23 am
One more paid holiday
May 14, 2008 7:00:19 am
this one day off is wrong and going to cost my daughter 120.00 in day care for one day. Good Friday is NOT a Federal Holiday. I will also add that NO other religions have their Holidays off.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_holiday
"I love humanity but I hate people."Edna S.V.M
May 14, 2008 8:48:44 am
The six days before and after Christmas are not holidays ether. Didn’t see summer or Spring break in there ether. Schools don’t fall under the federal government they fall under county and state.
theologiser - The one who speculates about theology
May 14, 2008 9:01:14 am
Having a specific day off because it is a religious holiday is completely against the idea of separation of church and state. How can we offer a day off for a Christian Holiday, yet if a student of another religion were to miss school for their religious holiday they would receive an unexcused absence. Where is the logic in this?
May 14, 2008 9:06:43 am
excuse me? the schools fall under the separation of church and state clause and are not suppose to favor any religion. They keep it up they will lose their christmas break.They are not allowed to refer to it as a christmas break. It is called winter break and is suppose to be the break between the first and second semester which they have violated by not doing so. they have the winter break as part of a semester.All schools have to abide by the constitution and are not exempt!
"I love humanity but I hate people."Edna S.V.M
May 14, 2008 9:14:26 am
I thank the children our happy and if you don't like it MOVE...
May 14, 2008 9:15:53 am
I think you'd better sue them Jona. Sounds like ya got a good case there and it will keep you busy. Not only that but it will give you a good excuse not to watch your grand babies while saving your daughter 120 bucks.
May 14, 2008 9:28:17 am
Mill they are now giving Christian Friday April 9th off for Good Friday yet Thursday April 8th is Passover and that is one of the highest Holy days for some. That means exclusion.You think that is right? as for my grandchildren. I should lose a day of work to save my daughter from losing a day of work ? Do you call into work to watch your grandson? If I am not working that day I would watch them but I am now working 2 jobs and I don't have that freedom. I am a single income household unlike most.
BTW. I have many Pm's asking me why You are attacking all my posts. I have told them that you obviously don't like me. I ask that you just put me on ignore.
as for insights post.. I shouldn't have to. I am suppose to have the same protections in ALL the states.
"I love humanity but I hate people."Edna S.V.M
May 14, 2008 9:36:24 am
They just see it as another day they dont have to go to school. They dont care about the reason for the day off. So of course they would be happy.Why do they get a religious holiday off, yet dont get veterns day off or other similar national holidays? You cant use the excuse that its because they arent veterens, because neither is 80ish% of the citizens of this country.
You know that once they set a precident, that there will be people of other religious faiths complaining that their holidays are being ignored.
May 14, 2008 9:42:15 am
Besides the fact that your post made no sense what so ever you are falling on that tired old cliche. Love it or leave it. How very 60's of you.
"Why is the name of the phobia for the fear of long words Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia?" No, I didn't spell that all by myself, cut and paste is a beautiful thing.
May 14, 2008 9:59:15 am
You have such a problem and hate of Christianity. You whine about prisoners getting witnessed to. Tax exempt status. Christmas holiday. Wearing clothes, smokin' out, I can see why Mill is as tired of the whining as I am. It is irresponsible for a single parent to fail a drug test costing you your sole source of income and at the same time whine that your rights are violated. I have to side with Mill on this. I'm tired of it. Wahhh!
In the theistic evolutionary system, God is not the omnipotent Lord of all things, whose Word has to be taken seriously by all men, but He is integrated into the evolutionary philosophy.
May 14, 2008 10:06:14 am
I don't hate christianity.. I want inclusion not exclusion. This is not a Christian nation. Side with who ever you chose. I don't appreciate people siding when it comes to religions and protections. there shouldn't be sides. Your post is an attack on my civil rights. I am not whining I am stating truths.
"I love humanity but I hate people."Edna S.V.M
May 14, 2008 10:10:53 am
Whatever!
In the theistic evolutionary system, God is not the omnipotent Lord of all things, whose Word has to be taken seriously by all men, but He is integrated into the evolutionary philosophy.
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