Some school districts in the South are making up for days missed because of this week's snow and ice by requiring students to attend class on Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, a decision that does not sit well with some parents and community leaders.
The issue is especially sensitive in King's home state of Georgia, where administrators in two rural districts - Fannin and Gilmer counties - have canceled the school holiday.
"We have eight days that we've missed, and we're just in the 14th day of January," Fannin Superintendent Mark Henson said. "Here in the North Georgia mountains, history proves we have a lot of snow in January and February and sometimes into early March."
Both districts are considering canceling Presidents Day (February 21) and part or all of spring break as well, the administrators said.
State-mandated standardized testing weighs heavily on administrators' decision-making.
"With high-stakes testing that occurs in late April, we're trying to maximize instructional days before these high-stakes test as much as we can," said Michael Schlabra, director of administrative services for Gilmer County schools.
Tacking the days onto the end of the year would be pointless because they would come after the tests, Henson said.
"Those excuses are unacceptable," said Georgia State Conference NAACP President Edward DuBose. "To substitute the legacy of what Dr. King stood for, to reduce it to an inclement weather day, is unacceptable. ... (It) reflects the ultimate disrespect of an entire people."
DuBose is not swayed by the prospect of the districts' also canceling other holidays.
"Dr. King's day was bought for a high price," he said. "Dr. King gave his life for this country. He, by his work, changed the notion of how people view people of color."
North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools designated Monday as one of its weather make-up days when it approved the academic calendar two years ago, a statement on the district's website says.
"Teachers and principals are encouraged to discuss Dr. King and his legacy as part of their lessons on January 17 to help students understand and observe the holiday," the statement says.
The district, led by Superintendent Peter Gorman, says it is hamstrung by state law that requires schools to have 180 days of instruction and that the school year begin and end on specific dates.
The Charlotte NAACP chapter isn't buying it.
"The NAACP on behalf of the African-American and minority community is appalled and thoroughly incensed at Peter Gorman's decision to use the MLK holiday as a snow make-up day," the group said on its website. "Once again Dr. Gorman has shown total disdain and disrespect for a very significant part of this community."
The academic calendar for Nashville, Tennessee, schools allows for four bad-weather days, but this week's storm canceled five days of school. The district chose to cancel a February 21 (Presidents Day) professional development day for faculty to make up for its fifth snow day.
The Madison County, Alabama, district, where Huntsville is located, may shorten spring break and have school on Presidents Day, Superintendent Terry Davis told the Birmingham News.
In South Carolina, the Rock Hill school district will have classes not only on Monday, but also on Presidents Day (February 21), Memorial Day (May 30) and Confederate Memorial Day (May 10).
"It's not that we wanted to do any of this. I'm losing holidays, my colleagues are losing holidays just like students are losing them," Elaine Baker, spokesperson for the Rock Hill School District, told CNN affiliate WBTV.
"I was hoping we wouldn't have to use any of the designated bad weather days," she told CNN, "but God decided to make it snow in South Carolina."
The district normally would use faculty in-service days to make up for lost time, but those days were eaten up by furlough days enacted by the money-strapped district, she said.
Parents don't want spring break shortened because many have already put money down for vacations, Baker said.
"We are not intentionally defaming the memory of this American leader; that is not so. We are just encountering what I call a perfect storm," she said.
"... We of course respect Martin Luther King, as well as men and women who are going to feel badly about Memorial Day and Presidents Day."
The Rev. Herb Crump, former president of the Rock Hill Chapter of the NAACP, disagreed with the protests of the chapter's current leadership. He said King would have wanted children to be in school on Monday.
"I think that our children would be doing a disservice, and it would be a slap in the face to the life of Dr. King by sitting at home playing video games," Crump told WBTV.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
what a freaking joke–no different then any other day when your gang banging little monsters are not in school, wont matter much if it was open to them or not. Todays black people are a disgrace to their own race...if you look at History, you were not the only race ever to be sold into slavery....and guess what...all the other races GOT OVER IT!! Todays blacks do NOTHING to deserver the legacy of MLK...the NAACP is the dumbest people as well
MLK would probably turn over in his grave to think that white people know more abuot what he stood for than his own people do and that they use his name to play the RACE game. To use him for an excuse to bring up the point of RACE. He wanted us to be a country of ONE people, AMERICAN PEOPLE . There are far more black racisist than white. The NAACP are not happy unless the keep the RACE game stirred up. Keep your kids in school if thats what the school board wants. And STOP bringing RACE into it. Thats NOT what MLK would have wanted. And NAACP this is not a RACE issue at all. Come on America give it a rest .
First thing I thought when I read this was... I would assume Dr. King would have wanted children in school to better themselves in education...
Anyone else notice that all the comments for keeping their kids out of school had misspelled words and poor grammar?
And from Atlanta.
Easy to understand why that city has become a giant broken haven for criminals and semi-literates.
J Johnson, cyrus;d avon, this may be your country for now,but when the SPEAR-CHUCKER AND BUFFALO WOMAN leave office; and they will one way or another, then what are you all going to do? Or are you all going to make him and it the tribe leaders forever.
My kids are staying home.
Like every other black person has said my kids will stay home for MLK Day. @ Cyrus – Thats a cool name! Did u get that from the guy in The Warrior's movie?
@ Frederick Douglas, yes my name is from the guy in the warriors! That guy was trying to get everybody together. That movie is still good after all these years. Now that black people are organized and unified white people are upset. If white people are mad about us takeing Monday off I cant imagine what they are gonna do next year when we reelect President Obama! lol! CAN YOU DIG IT!!
Are you voting for Obama for his ideas, and movements for our goverment? Or just because of his skin? It seems by the way that you are talking the color is a major factor. In which case your getting mad at rasisim, while meanwhile, your a rasist?
Makes sence.
Because everything is so geared to the April testing, once the tests are over, school during May and June is fairly useless. (Why isn't the testing in June or closer to the end of the year anyway? Computerized testing can have grade results very quickly – within hours, not weeks or months.)
Virginia requires 900 hours of instructions instead of a certain number of days. Loudoun County and Prince William County schools report they have enough extra time built into their schedules to use 15 snow days and still meet state standards. So unless it's a REALLY unusual weather year, they are covered and have no need to cancel scheduled holidays.
I demand that we celebrate Robert E. Lee's and Jefferson Davis's birthdays... Without them this is a racist country!!!! I DEMAND EQUALITY!!!!
Would there be this much discussion if we were talking about President's Day next month? I think few would disagree that both Washington and Lincoln are much more significant to American history than the late Dr. King. With that said, if you want to hold school on President's Day, what time do you want the kids at the bus stop?
As a retired principal I will simply say...schools went into deterioration when parents/aclu/politics of race etc etc took over our schools. WHINE WHINE WHINE..what a nation of whiners and softies....make up the frigging school days on MLK or whatever the board suggests and parents/aclu/naacp/etc etc..GO TO WORK ... ur nothing all but AGENDAS...
geez no wonder our country cant compete!!!!!!!
Instead of telling us.....oh my kids are staying home, how about telling how you are going to celebrate his day? At least in school they will teach your kids the importance of MLK day. What would you do? By reading all these comments I would say MLK would be very sad. He gave his life for equality, for a better life for us as a black people. All these race comments and bickering is exactly what he was fighting against! I for one am sending my child to school and I will be attending it with him. Maybe all of you should do the same with your children...you might learn something called...... The Dream!
Finding a way to celebrate MLK's life on his brithday in the classroom would honor him far more than using it as an excuse for a day off to go sledding, shopping, etc.
@ Cyrus – You a real cool dude! We up in here trippin out over your comments! But Real Talk, white people are gonna be in for a Big surprise when we re-elect Obama next year! If they mad about MLK Holliday I dont know what they gone do next year! I guess its just our time. IT'S GOOD TO BE KING!! LoL!!!