Author Topic: Was Your School District Closed for MLKJr Day? (Read 3772 times)

Benny B · « **on:** January 21, 2020, 10:03:56 AM »

While attending to family business in God's Country over the weekend, I was surprised to learn that my nieces & nephews who lived in Wisconsin had school yesterday.

Turns out that MLKJr. Day is simply a "day of observance" in Wisconsin, and not a holiday... i.e. whether schools are closed are at the discretion of the district.

tower912 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2020, 10:04:47 AM »

Local Catholic school district shut down. Toboggan and ski hills quite busy.

JWags85 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2020, 10:08:48 AM »

Growing up in the MKE burbs and public middle/HS, never had it off. Got to college in Ohio and had both MLK and Columbus Days off from class for the first time in my life. It was a revelation. My first few post-grad jobs in Chicago as well, same deal. Wasn't until my current position where my office stayed open.

mu_hilltopper · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2020, 10:34:03 AM »

I imagine .. the further you are away from an African-American population, the smaller the chance school is closed.

I think the MKE area, all schools are closed.

It kills me, too .. my kids had Friday and Monday off, and a half-day this Friday. Xmas break was just 2 weeks ago.

MU82 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:02:52 AM »

Schools in NC closed.

Billy Hoyle · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:03:54 AM »

growing up in a small, nearly all-white, midwestern town (we had one African-American in my high school) we never had MLK day off. I was curious and checked and it is still a school day in that district. We did get the first day of Deer Season off, however.

ChitownSpaceForRent · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:11:47 AM »

Quote from: JWags85 on January 21, 2020, 10:08:48 AM

Growing up in the MKE burbs and public middle/HS, never had it off. Got to college in Ohio and had both MLK and Columbus Days off from class for the first time in my life. It was a revelation. My first few post-grad jobs in Chicago as well, same deal. Wasn't until my current position where my office stayed open.

Not a day off anymore, but Pulaski Day was always a fun one to bring up to non-CPS friends. Didn’t realize how weird it was to have that day off until much later.

MU82 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:44:20 AM »

Quote from: ChitownSpaceForRent on January 21, 2020, 11:11:47 AM

Not a day off anymore, but Pulaski Day was always a fun one to bring up to non-CPS friends. Didn’t realize how weird it was to have that day off until much later.

My kids had Pulaski Day off for at least some of their time in CPS schools. Can't remember when they stopped giving it to 'em.

CTWarrior · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:05:55 PM »

Schools have it off in Connecticut. It's nuts, they got two weeks off this year for Christmas, Three Kings Day (Jan 6) and MLK Day. My wife is a school Speech Pathologist, and she would much rather get out a few days earlier than get these extra holidays right after the Christmas holidays.

MU Fan in Connecticut · « **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:06:56 PM »

NYC has a big Pulaski Day parade every October.

My childhood street in Connecticut was a dead-end and located off of Pulaski Highway.

MU Fan in Connecticut · « **Reply #10 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:14:55 PM »

Quote from: CTWarrior on January 21, 2020, 12:05:55 PM

Schools have it off in Connecticut. It's nuts, they got two weeks off this year for Christmas, Three Kings Day (Jan 6) and MLK Day. My wife is a school Speech Pathologist, and she would much rather get out a few days earlier than get these extra holidays right after the Christmas holidays.

Did she have Columbus Day or Veteran's Day off? My wife and daughter had school for Veteran's Day, the daughter had Columbus Day off and the wife had a teacher in-service day. Both also had two Jewish Holidays off instead.

My wife teaches in a different Connecticut school district than my kids go to.

Billy Hoyle · « **Reply #11 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:20:16 PM »

my first three years at MU the first day of classes second semester was the day after MLK day. That changed senior year, the semester started a week earlier. I took advantage of that to go see Oasis in Minneapolis for the long weekend.

WI inferiority Complexes · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:47:55 PM »

20 years ago I taught at a community college in McHenry, IL. We had class on MLK Day, but every course's curriculum that day was designed to promote cultural diversity; it was kinda neat.

I also remember when Marquette hosted L-Ville in the afternoon of MLK Day, and everyone lost their $hit.

CTWarrior · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2020, 12:52:02 PM »

Quote from: MU Fan in Connecticut on January 21, 2020, 12:14:55 PM

Did she have Columbus Day or Veteran's Day off? My wife and daughter had school for Veteran's Day, the daughter had Columbus Day off and the wife had a teacher in-service day. Both also had two Jewish Holidays off instead.

My wife teaches in a different Connecticut school district than my kids go to.

Yes to Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, and the two Jewish Holidays. Bridgeport school system, which has a large African American and Hispanic populations, as well as a large percentage of Jewish teachers (at least traditionally). They have turned the traditional week off in February to a four day Presidents Day weekend to cover all the holidays.

CreightonWarrior · « **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2020, 01:00:35 PM »

I don't remember Marquette High ever closing but that was a long time ago so i could be wrong.

Benny B · « **Reply #15 on:** January 21, 2020, 01:06:55 PM »

Quote from: mu_hilltopper on January 21, 2020, 10:34:03 AM

I imagine .. the further you are away from an African-American population, the smaller the chance school is closed.

At least in Wisconsin, any way. Looks like Kenosha and Racine were closed as well.

Granted, when I was in 6th grade in Minnesota, I remember going through an all-day "simulation" on MLKJr Day, which is memorable only because it was the most poorly-executed lesson in arbitrary discrimination based on physical characteristics.

But that was over 30 years ago. Minnesota or not, I don't even think all states had adopted MLKJr Day at that time.

NorthernDancerColt · « **Reply #16 on:** January 21, 2020, 04:14:14 PM »

Quote from: Billy Hoyle on January 21, 2020, 12:20:16 PM

my first three years at MU the first day of classes second semester was the day after MLK day. That changed senior year, the semester started a week earlier. I took advantage of that to go see Oasis in Minneapolis for the long weekend.

You like Oasis, but loathe Jerry Tarkanian?
Got it.

🏀 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 21, 2020, 11:51:12 PM »

Quote from: WI inferiority Complexes on January 21, 2020, 12:47:55 PM

20 years ago I taught at a community college in McHenry, IL. We had class on MLK Day, but every course's curriculum that day was designed to promote cultural diversity; it was kinda neat.

I also remember when Marquette hosted L-Ville in the afternoon of MLK Day, and everyone lost their $hit.

MCC, yah you know me!

WI inferiority Complexes · « **Reply #18 on:** January 22, 2020, 10:38:49 AM »

Quote from: PTM on January 21, 2020, 11:51:12 PM

MCC, yah you know me!

Go Scots! (That logo has definitely been updated in the last 20 years).

🏀 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 22, 2020, 10:53:21 AM »

Quote from: WI inferiority Complexes on January 22, 2020, 10:38:49 AM

Go Scots! (That logo has definitely been updated in the last 20 years).

Billy Hoyle · « **Reply #20 on:** January 22, 2020, 11:33:54 AM »

Quote from: NorthernDancerColt on January 21, 2020, 04:14:14 PM

You like Oasis, but loathe Jerry Tarkanian?
Got it.

I'm not sure how those go hand in hand. But yes, in college, thanks to my English friend and study abroad in Ireland, I became a fan of Oasis and their first three albums.