May 22, 2006
Veterans Dissed by Stamford Schools
From Michelle Malkin, we learn that schools in Stamford, CT may no longer be observing the Veteran's Day holiday:
The school board voted 8 to 1 Feb. 28 in favor of opening on Friday, Nov. 10, to cut one day off the end of the year in June. Friday is the holiday this year because Veterans Day falls on a Saturday.
School board President Susan Nabel said students should get a lesson in civics and history instead of a day off.
"We all felt the real meaning of Veterans Day has been lost for students for quite a few years," she said.
Board members also felt it was more productive to have an extra school day in November rather than June, she said.
According to the board, seveal veterans' groups were apprised of, and supported, the change.
Schools in Connecticut aren't required to take the day off. There are other districts that don't observe the Veterans' Day holiday either. And, part of me can see the sense in actually learning about wars our veterans served in and the sacrifices they made on a day when kids would otherwise be either at home goofing off or on an extended weekend getaway with their families.
However, here's another way of looking at it:
If learning about a holiday is a better way to celebrate than taking a day off, veterans say school should be in session on all holidays, including Labor Day, Columbus Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
"How can you have that one school holiday stricken from the school calendar and not the others?" said Rubino, who will have two sons at Toquam Magnet Elementary School in the fall. "You could imagine the outrage if they tried to remove Martin Luther King Day and say, 'We are going to come to school and talk about who Martin Luther King was.' "
Indeed. Ask Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton what they would think of that one! At my daughter's school, they learn about Veterans' Day in the weeks preceding the holiday. So really, how much is being accomplished by abolishing the observance?
Veterans' Day: A waste of time?
Show Comments »
Well, leftists love teach-ins, so perhaps each school system that drops Veteran's Day could get veterans (courtesy of the local American Legion Posts) to teach that day and just give the teachers and administators the day off.
Posted by: joe-6-pack at May 22, 2006 01:46 PMYears ago school systems tried to eliminate Veterans Day as a school holiday. Veterans were up in arms, protesting, lobbying, etc. As a result, Veterans Day remained a school holiday. Veterans Day is one of only two days set aside to honor those who fought bravely and died courageously for us...yes you and me. Too many vital things fall to the wayside because of money and greed and disrespect. Anyone who condones this idea is anti-American and needs to do some community service work at a military hospital or veterans home. Perhaps some of them should be sent overseas to witness the courage and selflessness of our troops who deserve any recognition and honor possible. Without them we might all be living under a dictatorship.
Posted by: Claudia Doodick at May 23, 2006 07:34 AMHow awful of me not to have included our living veterans in my previous post. Veterans Day is the day to honor those who bravely fought for us. Many of them came home with body parts missing, severe emotional trauma, and incurable illnesses. Yet, most of them are still very proud of their sevice and would do it again if they could. Talk about selflessness!
Posted by: Claudia at May 23, 2006 09:05 PMwow, that took a surprisingly long time, i thought the demagogues would appear sooner. claudia, you fail to realize that eliminating a day off would allow schools to devote a day solely to teaching the triumphs of american history, the sacrifice and service of our veterans and the proud military tradition of the united states of america.
Posted by: steve at May 23, 2006 10:30 PM
