Douglas County School District recognizes Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Martin Luther King Day, and Memorial Day by giving their students time off. Traditionally celebrated on November 11th, Veterans Day is not established by the school district as a day-off for students and faculty.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, it is not a legal requirement that schools close on Veterans Day. Individual states or school districts are free to establish their own policies on school closings.
“Veteran’s Day is a time to honor veteran families for their sacrifices. I have spoken at Veteran’s Day events and my daughter was not present because she was in school,” U.S. Navy Seal, Jimmy Graham said. “In reflection, I believe she would have a learned much more by being with her family that day.”
Former U.S. Navy service member, Pam Robinson, served for eleven years in the U.S. Navy. Her husband served twenty years in the U.S. Marine Corps. “It is imperative that our children should be entitled to patriotically observe this holiday by taking time out from school, so that they too can reflect upon and learn the value of the freedom that our countless soldiers offered to keep our country a free land,” Robinson stated.
Castle Rock Town Councilmen George Teal added, “With each passing year, less Americans join to serve in the US Military. We are becoming a people isolated from our own military, our Veterans a sub-culture within our nation… unseen, unheard and forgotten. By making Veterans Day a day off for our schools we will help reverse this process, elevating it to a day of family gathering and civic reflection.”
Tell us what you think. Should the school district recognize Veterans Day by giving students the day off?
