Give Me a Break!

When I saw the headlines in the News and Observer Friday morning, I had to laugh as I shook my head. The large letters at the top of the front page read, “Public Schools Start With a 1-Day Week”. Oh my goodness, what has the world come to?! Whoever heard of starting school on a Friday?!? How alarming!

The article went on to discuss why such a decision would ever be made, and to share various opinions on the matter. I’m sorry, but with all that’s going on nationally and locally, I find it hard to believe that this was worthy of a headline story. What was the big deal? Then I realized what “agenda” was being promoted. Opponents of the 2004 school calendar law, which kept intact the traditional school schedule, were once again trying to paint the law in a negative light. They even went so far as to question the “impact on educational quality” of starting school on a Friday. I kid you not! Do they really think teachers did anything differently today (Friday) than they would have done on any other first day?

The school calendar law, which they “blame” for causing the horrid Friday start date, sets August 25 and June 10 as parameters within which local districts can form their own calendars. Some districts waited until Monday to start. Besides, as the article points out, starting school on a Friday was actually favored by many teachers and parents.

Look for the law to be branded the culprit in almost any negative happening in schools this year. Certain state education administrators and decision-making groups are going to great lengths to paint the law in the worst possible light. You can believe that they will be lobbying hard in the next General Assembly session to change wording so that the law will be rendered ineffective. That way, school districts across North Carolina can go back to starting school in late July or early August, which will make the eventual transition to mandatory year-round schools easier. Not to mention the fact that these education “leaders” will grab back power that they “lost” to parents, teachers, and other concerned citizens who were instrumental in getting the law passed.