Chatham Students to Have School on MLK Day
Interim Superintendent said schools will observe the holiday with 'meaningful activities' district-wide.
The Board of Education voted 5 to 3 to approve three extra days of school to make up for days lost during the late October snow storm, including holding classes on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The holiday, celebrated this year on Jan. 16, is traditionally given as a day off for most school districts and for many companies.
Days approved as make-up class days are:
- Monday, Jan. 2, 2012
- Monday, Jan. 16, 2012
- Friday, Feb. 17 (early dismissal day)
- Monday. April 9, 2012 (if necessary)
Interim Superintendent Dennis Fyffe wrote a letter to district parents, attached to this article, stating that all district schools "will provide meaningful activities to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of Dr. King." He also noted the holiday will be observed in next year's calendar and "all subsequent calendars."
"Everyone was reluctant to touch MLK Day," Board President Tom Belding said via email. "One advantage of the decision made is that it allows somewhat more flexibility if the winter is rough and more days must then be taken out of vacations later in the year."
The district allows for up to four days throughout the academic year, which is required to have at least 180 days of school. When the Chathams were hit by more than 8 inches of snow in late October, schools were closed for five days because of downed wires, blocked streets and sidewalks and prolonges power outages at all schools and throughout town.
The board discussed a possible waiver from the 180-day school year requirement at the Nov. 7 meeting. Belding said many districts affected by the storm considered applying for a waiver, but "the Executive County Superintendent indicated firmly last week that no applications for waivers would be considered."
Board Member Jill Weber said the board understood the holiday was a sensitive day, but that Board Member Kim Cronin expressed the prevailing sentiment that the loss of so many school days required the board to examine how to minimize the impact to students and family.
"I polled about 25 parents and the majority preferred [to have classes on Martin Luther King Day]," Weber said. "I also [told the board] that Carole Etheridge, President of the Chatham Middle School PTO, polled many additional parents [who preferred school that day]."
In This article
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Board of Education: School District of the Chathams
58 Meyersville Rd, Chatham, NJ -
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Chatham Middle School
480 Main St, Chatham, NJ
Captain Jack
7:58 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
What a disgrace about school on MLK Day. Shows where the priorities are...we can't upset our vacations.
R. Swanson
9:11 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Opening up school on MLK Day was a no brainer - I don't understand all the anguish (although something tells me political correctness had a lot to do with it). The kids will get more from the in-school recognition of the day's signficance than they would ever get from spending the day skiing in Vermont, sitting in a movie theater, or shopping at Short Hills. Let's be real about this - that's exactly what they'd be doing. Also can't believe the Board spent even one minute discussing shortening the already short 180 day school year. Good for the County Superintendent to put a stop to that nonsense.
B Maltby
11:36 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
In agreement w/ R. Swanson, I never understood how giving the children a day off from school on MLK day helped them recognize the importance of this Nobel Peace Prize recipient and his impact on the Civil Rights Movement. The children would be better served in school with a curriculum incorporating lessons on the civil rights movement including the significant events but not limited to: Brown vs. Board of Education, the murder of Emmett Till, the Montgomery Bus Boycott and of course the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr., rather than (and agreeing with Swanson), skiing, shopping and/or going to the movies (and I would like to add, sleeping in, playing video games). I understand that this is a national holiday, but I am certain, most people don’t use this day off to recognize it as such…go to school and educate the kids and thus the Holiday w/b better recognized.
yankeestyle
12:39 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
So why wouldn't you make the same argument for keeping school's open on Memorial Day and/or President's day? Please, recognize the Board's decision for what it is---absolutely appalling.
Captain Jack
9:53 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
You are small minded to think it's about political correctness. it's a national holiday and should be respected as such. Go back to your cave.
yankeestyle
10:34 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
This decision is disgusting and I am embarrassed to live in a town that had at least 7 other days they could have picked from to hold school. I am saddened to realize that their continues to be a subtle rumble of intolerance that continues to permeate the Chathams. 25 parents were polled??? WOW, did you grab them as they walked out of the Yoga studio while their kids were in school?
R. Swanson
1:24 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Give me a break, yankeestyle. What exactly will you be doing on MLK day? Meditating on his contribution to our society or enjoying an extra hour of sleep or taking advantage of that great appliance sale at Home Depot? I'm sure someone like yourself who is so quick to play the "intolerance" card would have absolutely no problem if the Board did open the schools on Memorial Day, right? It's all about political correctness, and I'm tired of it. It's one year, and as the Board and Superintendent tripped over themselves to make clear, MLK day will be a school holiday going forward. We had to deal with exceptional circumstances this year, so suck it up and stop brewing controversey where there shouldn't be any.
Captain Jack
1:42 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
It shows Chatham for what it is...racist
Melissa
6:08 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I agree with Betsy and R Swanson. I don't think having a day off to go skiing or shopping teaches kids anything, especially in a town like Chatham where there are few established activities to commemorate the day. Our preschool was open on MLK Day and the kids came home with stories of Dr. King and his legacy. Last year, we went to the library's program to get something out of the day, but being in school will be even more beneficial. And I could make the same argument for most similar national holidays. PS-won't it be funny when it winds up being a snow day?
Melissa
6:10 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
...but I also agree that a sampling of 25 parents is hardly a consensus.
Student
6:39 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Just out of curiosity, how many people did you and Captain Jack poll? Which meetings did you both attend to suggest other options?
Captain Jack
7:13 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I don't need a poll to know what the right thing to do is. Take a morals class maybe you'll learn something.
Sir
7:43 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Kids are better off in school. So are the teachers.
Matt
10:02 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Captain Jack - you say Chatham is a bunch of racists. I believe Chatham just voted in a black person to be our next Mayor. Easy to whine about racism, but the facts don't support your ignorance.
Captain Jack
10:20 am on Thursday, November 24, 2011
Matt I don't think you can equate a very small turnout of voters electing the lesser of 2 evils to a disgraceful disregard of a national holiday honoring MLK. Other local towns such as Summit, Milburn etc. found ways to reinstate days without touching MLK and 3 out of 5 BOE voted no. I guess maybe the other 5 don't get it.
Student
8:55 pm on Thursday, November 24, 2011
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
Junco
12:04 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Why is everyone complaining about mlk day??? MY FRICKIN WINTER VACATION JUST GOT CUT SHORT!
Duncan Munchkin
9:43 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
No doubt that the in-class recognition will consist of play a BrainPop video on the smart board, after which we can get back to the real business of the Chatham schools which is raising money for the PTO.
Publius
11:04 pm on Sunday, January 15, 2012
Whether it be about a holiday or not, this matter was not taken situationally. We technically used 4 snow days, and we already made up one of them. We work our butts off every single day in school, and guess what? we deserve a day off every once in a while. the snow storm were stressful days for many families without heat and power. So to respond to previous remarks, shortening the school year is a perfectly liable discussion topic. you parents arent the ones up until the wee hours of the morning doing homework, and i honestly think that you all forget what its like to be 14-18. i hope you all realize the teaching staff is going to be just as ticked off as the students, and productivity is going to be at a bare minimum people. secondly, yeah, R swanson, it is rascist. it shows a lack of prioritization amongst the town. this is a federal holiday for a reason. the government said that students shouldnt be in school, for A REASON. its not like this should be an optional matter. i leave off with the note that everytime you people make a decision, remeber what it was like to be a teenager. to know what it felt like to be able to sit in bed and relax on a sunday night, knowing that you can relax because theres no school tomorrow. so go ahead. take away our days off. nothings gunna get done, and i doubt many are going to show up. your loss.
Student
11:41 pm on Sunday, January 15, 2012
Honestly, I really don't want to go to school tomorrow because I'm tired and I am going to stay up late doing homework. But in the long run, I am happy that we have school because I am taking several AP courses, and in those courses my teachers have a tight day-to-day schedule. Putting in the lost days before the AP tests in May is really important to me. Unlike what some people think, my classes will be very productive tomorrow. I would also like to mention that my English class tomorrow will be analyzing Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, which I expect to entail more discussion about Dr. King's acheivements than anything I would be doing on a day off.
Student01
11:45 pm on Sunday, January 15, 2012
There will be no recognition at Chatham High School. I along with my peers with be spending the federal holiday taking tests. Also last Friday teachers briefed classes about what we will be learning on the 16th and none of it related to MLK. If we are going to have school at least have an assembly or restrict teachers from giving assessments, this is absolutely ridiculous. All the parents saying its better to have school are ignorant. Is it really better to have your child stay up until 1am studying and losing much needed sleep? No. If the New York Times or some other newspaper caught wind of this, they would rip Chatham apart. Chatham would look like a racist town, which would ruin our current prestigious title. Way to play into the stereotype Board of Ed.