Michaud: Why can't schools open on Monday?
Archbishop Stepinac High School students are getting a cutting-edge technology center to prepare them for life in the digital world. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at the White Plains school at 11 a.m. Friday, when administrators will unveil what they say will be one of the most advanced high school technology centers in the Lower Hudson Valley. (Oct. 18, 2012) Credit: Newsday / John Paraskevas
My daughters are finally back to school today, after missing nine days because of superstorm Sandy and then the snowstorm. So, they’ll get one day of instruction today … and then three days off. Why? Because Monday is Veterans Day, and the schools are closed.
This infuriates me. Couldn’t the schools consider opening on Monday because of these extraordinary weather circumstances? It seems they are squandering precious instructional time. Before we know it, the winter holidays will be here, with more time off.
I’m all for honoring veterans; my beloved late father-in-law served two tours of duty in Vietnam. But can’t we honor the veterans after school? Many businesses will be open on Monday, including mine and my husband’s. Veterans Day is not universally recognized with a day off.
It’s a circumstance like this that makes me feel that public schools aren’t as serious as they should be about educating children. Yes, it would cause everyone a bit of hassle to hold school on Monday. But Sandy hassled us far worse. A return to normal – including school on Monday – would be welcomed by many Long Islanders.
