TAMPA - The Hillsborough school calendar will not recognize any religious holidays next school year, but it will continue a traditional day off for students to attend the state fair.
Ending two years of debate that resonated nationally in the culture wars, the Hillsborough School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to adopt a secular calendar for 2007-08.
It eliminates current days off coinciding with Good Friday, the Monday after Easter and the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
“I think this calendar tiptoes us into the 20th century, not the 21st,’’ said School Board member Candy Olson, capping nearly two hours of discussion on the academic calendar for the nation’s eighth-largest school district.
The calendar continues giving days off that recognize Hillsborough’s agricultural roots.
A majority reversed its plan to do away with Fair Day, a traditional school holiday for students in most of the country to attend the state fair. They agreed to keep the tradition for at least one more year, with fair officials pledging free admission to students on that day.
As in the past, students in east Hillsborough will exchange the Fair Day holiday for a day off to celebrate the Strawberry Festival.
“There’s some unintended consequences that we didn’t have information on,’’ said School Board member Carol Kurdell, who proposed keeping the status quo on Fair Day and Strawberry Festival Day.
LETITIA STEIN, Times Staff Writer
Get inside the world of Florida education with St. Petersburg Times staff writer Jeffrey S. Solochek and the rest of the Times education reporting team. We'll bring you up-to-date information about the latest education trends, fads and news and dig deep into Tampa Bay area school issues.
So what does that do for Christmas break? When are we going to get back to the business of educating our children and away from all this political correctness. I for one am VERY tired of always having to adapt to some kneejerk idea that some minority is being offended. WE ARE NOW THE MINORITY!! I am offended, go fix it!!
Posted by: Ray | February 28, 2007 at 05:48 AM
Thank you for violating my feedom of religion, nice to know that only foreigners have the rights in this country to do and worship as they please.
Posted by: Michael | February 28, 2007 at 05:39 AM
Soon noone will even recognize the sabbath..sad..
Posted by: James | February 28, 2007 at 04:11 AM
Great news. It's a slippery slope to give days off for some religious holidays but not others. But I'm sure the kids will be a little bummed out about a couple fewer three day weekends.
Posted by: Jon | February 28, 2007 at 01:59 AM