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Schools

Schools urged to rethink calendar

Hillsborough's superintendent says the elimination of religious holidays has become a distraction.

By MELANIE AVE
Published November 5, 2005

TAMPA - It wasn't the hundreds of e-mails. Or pressure from the Hillsborough County Commission. Or the negative publicity from "opportunistic talking heads on national TV."

Hillsborough County schools superintendent MaryEllen Elia said the controversy over the exclusion of most religious holidays from next year's school calendar has become too much of a distraction from the education of children.

Because of that, she is recommending the School Board reverse itself and restore some religious holidays.

"This is a time we need to rethink, come back and figure out a way to make this community whole," Elia said during an impromptu news conference Friday. "It isn't happening right now."

Last week, a majority of board members approved an academic calendar for 2006-07 that removed all student vacation days timed for Jewish and Christian observances. The only exception is Christmas, which falls during the district's winter break.

The vote came nearly one year after local Muslims first asked that an Islamic holiday be recognized by the school district, just like Yom Kippur for Jews and Good Friday for Christians. Elia said she will ask the district's calendar committee to do more research for the following school year.

Several board members, who still must approve the change, said they appreciate Elia's request, especially if it halts anti-Muslim sentiment and the controversy the issue has sparked. Some letter writers have told Muslims to go back to their own countries and not to expect recognition in a "Christian nation."

"When we have name-calling and people making statements not based on fact, that's not healthy," said board member Jack Lamb. "I support her recommendation."

Board chairwoman Candy Olson said she hasn't decided how she will vote, but said she will give the recommendation "a great deal of consideration."

During a public hearing held before the board's vote for the secular calendar, only a few people spoke against it.

Then Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair denounced the decision on the Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor. In the days since, the issue has exploded.

At Blair's urging, county commissioners on Wednesday took the unusual step of voting to ask the School Board to reconsider its decision. When Blair made a surprise appearance at Elia's news conference Friday, she took a swipe at elected officials who have seized on the calendar issue.

"We don't have time for anger, vindictiveness or political maneuvering," she said. "What have schoolchildren learned from the community's adults so far on this issue? They've seen far too much grandstanding, ignorance, bigotry and anger."

Afterward, Blair told reporters Elia was "wise" in making her recommendation to change the calendar.

"The people spoke," he said. "They listened. It was a community issue. It wasn't me or Bill O'Reilly or anybody else."

The calendar approved by board members substitutes three secular vacation days for three Christian or Jewish holidays. It is similar to the one used by the Pinellas County school district, Hillsborough County government and hundreds of schools nationwide.

The calendar being recommended to board members at their Tuesday meeting mirrors this year's calendar, with time off on Yom Kippur, Good Friday and the Monday after Easter.

The man who first requested the Muslim holiday, Ahmed Bedier, praised Elia and encouraged board members to embrace the more religious calendar even though no Islamic holiday is included.

"We didn't think it was fair to make others suffer because of our request," said Bedier, Florida director of the Council on American Islamic Relations.

Earlier this week, the group asked the School Board to restore the holidays.

"That's been our position all along," he said. "We've never asked them to remove anyone else's holiday. We just asked to be included."

Elia said school officials felt the secular calendar was more inclusive of various religions. Apparently, she said, that is not the message communicated, thus the new calendar recommendation.

"If you think it is because of the barrage of e-mails or because of the opportunistic talking heads on national TV, you don't know me very well," she said. "Attempts at bullying and intimidation simply make me dig in my heels."

Blair said he still plans to attend Tuesday's board meeting.

"The vote," he said, "still has to be ratified."

Melanie Ave can be reached at 813 226-3400 or melanie@sptimes.com

For a second time, the School Board will consider a school calendar with Christian and Jewish holidays at a 5 p.m. meeting Tuesday at the School Administrative Center, 901 E Kennedy Blvd.

Superintendent MaryEllen Elia is recommending the board reverse its vote last week in favor of a secular calendar and approve one that mirrors the existing calendar, which has days off for Good Friday, Yom Kippur and the Monday after Easter.

The calendar would go into effect next year.

[Last modified November 5, 2005, 01:37:55]