According to History.com, in 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving . "The best thing about being involved with festivals and events is the opportunity to help build a community, foster a sense of pride within a community, and engage a community," says Chris Romano, a business consultant with Thrivent Financial Services. Should Election Day be a national holiday? Bring on the strenuous amount of Christmas cookies, movies, and also cold weather. $(document).ready(function () { We tend to only highlight contemporary celebrities and politicians, ignoring that we have activists and community organizers that are still making an impact on a daily basis.. A third social benefit of festival sponsorship is stronger relationships within a community. CSCOPE: Innovative Curriculum or Threat to Americas Youth? (if applicable) for The Wall Street Journal. [14][35] In Australia, where voting is mandatory, elections are celebrated with parties and barbeques nationwide, resulting in turnout rates around 90%. Holidays like Easter, Passover, and Holian ancient Hindu festivalcelebrate spring traditions and rebirth, and Siegel sings songs about spring like the Mexican "De Colores" and England's "Bells of Norwich." He shows students that fall holidays like the Mexican Da . Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard Especially around this time of year, many commercials are advertising new technology and gadgets that would be the perfect gifts for friends and family. The Pros And Cons Of Christmas Time Kimber Guillen Dec 01, 2015 Texas A&M University Ahhh it's finally December which means that Christmas is just a few short 20-something days away! What are Common Core Standards and Why Do We Need Them? It shouldnt have taken 20 years for me to learn about Audre Lorde, Bayard Rustin, and Marsha P. Johnson, said Willis. - Proponents say the Electoral College ensures everyone selects the president. The problem lies not with specialized months to commemorate marginalized groups and communities, said Willis, but with schools that fail to incorporate the full range of diversity as part of their mission. The State of Spending for Public School Education: Who Leads the Country? Experts agree that hometown pride is a critical factor in the development and improvement of any community. One of the benefits of school holidays is the time that families can spend together. For seven weeks, starting on the first night of Hanukkah, the company will hold events that celebrate the season, small business and creativity, explained Loralie Young, culture and people enablement manager. Planning and conducting festivals involves many members of the community, which yields a number of social benefits. Its important to collaborate and communicate with students and their families throughout the year when teaching about the holidays, says Judie Offerdahl, a second-grade teacher at Centerview Elementary School in Blaine, Minnesota. Consumerism has become an increasing component of our culture, particularly around the holiday season. Should the United States Use the Electoral College in Presidential Elections? As public schools in the United States continue to increase in their racial, ethnic, economic, and religious diversity, some districts need to rethink their holiday celebrations in a manner that is inclusive and respectful of all people. But hosting festivals also poses challenges. His view of Black History Month is more nuanced as an adult. Consumerism has become an increasing component of our culture, particularly around the holiday season. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? The Evolution of American Voting Rights in 242 Years Shows How Far Weve Come -- and How Far We Still Have to Go, businessinsider.com, Sep. 24, 2019, University of Houston Digital History, "Agriculture, digitalhistory.uh.edu (accessed Sep. 24, 2019), USDA, "Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy, ers.usda.gov, Sep. 20, 2019, Legal Information Institute, "5 U.S. Code 6103. Required fields are marked *. Minnesota Lawmakers Push Anti-Bullying Bill Forward. Learn about what you can do as a parent to improve your child's public school. It may cause the child to wonder why their teacher never took the time to learn about something that is so important in their life. That drive to expand perspectives is also apparent in the ways many educators approach the quintessential American holiday, Thanksgiving. The consumerism of holidays can be attributed to the growing amount of commercials and ads that we see in the media. Recently, there has been an increasing emphasis on gift giving, getting the best deal on the right gift and shopping to make sure all of the items on the checklist have been purchased. The end of the year tends to throw this problem into sharp relief, but of course it extends well beyond December as religious and cultural holidays occur throughout the year. Contact us on Facebook. Judie Offerdahl uses interactive holiday lessons on Nearpod with her second-grade students. Should Teacher Salaries be Public Information? Are Cell Phones and Public Schools Becoming a More Amicable Union? [7] A handful of states have made election day a state holiday, including New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, and, in Apr. Yet with all things, there are some downfalls. "Honestly, in my professional career, I've never found something outside a community festival that can do that to the same degree.". The Debate. While gifts and presents may be seen as kind gestures, the best gift you can give is the gift of love and companionship. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. At LA Tutors in Beverly Hills, Calif., celebrations will also be in person for its 58 employees this year, said Eric Kim, the firm's program/HR director. [10][11]] Having lived as an expat in the U.S. and England for more than a decade, Ive experienced both the pros and the cons of celebrating holidays abroad. A recent Macys advertisement prompted customers to hurry to their doorbuster sale, where doors opened as early as 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night. Instead of hosting a party, he's giving his staff additional time off to spend with their families. "We have already asked that every team member in our office be vaccinated, and we also enforce team members to wear face masks and social distance whenever possible," she said. They stated, Citizen Day would do more than give our democracy the honor that it deserves; it would help our democracy work better. And yes, while some holidays have been secularized to the public in becoming more of a cultural phenomenon than a religious event, the value and traditions of these holidays, be it about religion or family, are still ones many people believe in. We dont do that, she says of her classroom. The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. A star performer might not show up, or the stage might collapse. February 22, 2016. "I highly recommend it to anyone looking to expand their base of knowledge, creative thinking, and to implement fantastic festivals and events," says Shari Kunza of the City of Shoreview, a past participant. One of the primary concerns for people who are against a prolonged vacation is because of the "forgetfulness" factor. Why or why not? Are Public Schools Facing Privatization Amidst the Economic Crisis? 14, 2019, BBC, "Singapore Election: Governing Party Secure Decisive Win, bbc.com, Sep. 12, 2015, Holly Jackson, "It's Time to Make Election Day a Holiday in Law and Spirit," washingtonpost.com, Oct. 22, 2018, BCP Associates, "India Elections 2019 - Declaration of Paid Holiday on Polling Day, bcpassociates.com, Apr. The Impact of Coronavirus on Public Schools. Think of things such as voter ID laws, lowering the voting age, and abolishing the Electoral College. First, Chanukah does not hold the same importance for Jews as Christmas does for Christians. From two different Article's it say's different things. In fact, it isnt uncommon for families to cut Thanksgiving dinner short in order to secure a spot in line, amidst the chaos of Black Friday sales. However, there are a number of steps that can help these parties celebrate less about a specific religion or social practice and more about the beliefs that are common to many religions and cultural practices goodwill towards others, charity, and family among them. The pastry is kolacky (also spelled kolache), a concoction consisting of sweet bread and different fillings, especially fruit such as prune, apricot, and poppy seed. We werent given tools to discuss and ask questions without feeling like it was inappropriate.. However, to keep employees safe, some organizations are keeping their events completely virtual, while others are inventing new ways to mark the season. (The small community of Kabetogama and Voyageurs National Park in northeastern Minnesota also honor the lady's slipper with an annual Lady SlipperFestival.). [8], In the 2016 presidential election, 55.7% of the American voting-age population cast a ballot. 16 Mar. You have successfully saved this page as a bookmark. Twenty states received a failing grade, and in five statesAlaska, Iowa, Maine, Oregon, and Wyomingcivil-rights education was totally absent from state standards. In the end, festival management means minimizing damage and maximizing opportunity. Approximately two million people who work for the federal government would be given a paid day off, and private companies might follow suit. [4][5], The United States currently has 10 national holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day. Learn how SHRM Certification can accelerate your career growth by earning a SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. Where Did the Money Go? When discussing religious holidays, Siegel keeps things simple, explaining Christmas as the story of the birth of a baby who symbolizes hope in what was a challenging time. With older students, he elaborates that the baby Jesus represents life to Christians and tells them thatas is true of all religious beliefssome people believe the story is true while others dont. Neither members nor non-members may reproduce such samples in any other way (e.g., to republish in a book or use for a commercial purpose) without SHRMs permission. Experts call this glue social capital, so viewed through this lens festival sponsorship increases thesocial capitalthat makes for healthy communities. No: Too Inconvenient, Early-Voting Options Ample, orlandosentinel.com, Nov. 5, 2018, Henry Farber, "Increasing Voter Turnout: Is Democracy Day the Answer?, princeton.edu, Feb. 2009, Sarah Issenberg, "The Mystery of the Puerto Rico Voter, slate.com, Jan. 27, 2012, Paul LeBlanc, "Virginia Governor Makes Election Day a Holiday and Expands Early Voting,". School work, especially in junior high and high school, becomes a child's job. Black history should be celebrated every day, because all history begins with black history. For most people, that lifestyle means spending time with your family and loved ones, so I want to enable, encourage and empower my employees to do that.". Consider the potential benefits and difficulties of changing election day. We talk about how learning about others does not mean we are expected to practice the way they do, says Offerdahl. [28][29], Patagonia, an outdoor clothing retailer, paused operation on Nov. 6, 2018 so that all employees could vote. [12], The idea that voting should be a celebration, not a chore is one argument for turning Election Day into a national holiday, according to Archon Fung, PhD, and Jane Mansbridge, PhD, professors at the Harvard Kennedy School. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? } Campbells Soup Sales Were Declining. 4. Somewhere caught in the middle are educators and schools. The United States is out of step with the rest of the world: elections are held on weekends in 27 of the 36 OECD countries. Also, learning more about black women and LGBTQ individuals in her formative years would have put her more at ease identifying as a transgender woman. Bill Gates: The Savior of Public Schools? feelings of belonging improve academic outcomes, school leaders realized they werent meeting their students needs. When the economy is unstable, employers are faced with difficult decisions around staffing, pay and benefits. Other popular year-round schedules are the 60-20 and 90-30 calendars, where students are in class for 60 or 90 days with vacations of 20 or 30 days respectively. [9], Former Editor-in-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review, Beau C. Tremitiere, JD, stated, The demands of school and work schedules keep millions of Americans, especially those with children or long commutes, from ever getting to their polling stations The ideal solution is simple: Congress should make Election Day a national holiday, or move Election Day to the weekend. [10] A holiday would allow more citizens volunteer at polling places or drive the elderly to vote, and make a difference in states where long lines at the polls keep voters waiting for hours. Accept input and rework some segments of the activities if they appear to draw a lot of criticism. By adding the perspective of Indigenous peoples to that of the European settlers, these educators attempt to give students a deeper understanding our national story. "We will at most have only 15 people in attendance, which makes everyone still feel comfortable concerning health and safety. I wouldve loved to have delved into African history, the Harlem Renaissance, black life in the 1970s, and beyond.. Pros. "Tourism has the opportunity to bring communities together and instill a sense of community pride and knowledge of their history," she says. Employee resource groups will help host virtual meetings that support their community members and efforts, Young said. Cases of Missing Monies in Public School Districts. According to Gallup, employee recognition can boost productivity by 14 percent, increase profit by 18 percent, and grow customer satisfaction by 10 percent. Court Offers Guidelines for Schools in Disciplining Students for Off-Campus, Online Speech. Testing Students for Alcohol Use: Violation of Constitutional Rights? The Answer is Hazy. The economic benefits of successful festivals ripple throughout a local economy affecting tourism and non-tourism-related businesses alike. Critical academic skills need daily repetition and teachers know that parents may not be able to carry out practice at home. Explaining his teaching philosophy, Hassan said a worthwhile history curriculum is one that would have slavery and racism ingrained within it, just as it is in American society. They should support each argument with specific evidence from research. Solutions vary: Some schools have canceled Halloween, for example, as families opted out for religious or personal reasons, and many schools struggle to teach students about Thanksgiving in a way that acknowledges the impact of the European settlers on the Indigenous population. [2] Sundays were for rest and worship, and on Wednesdays farmers typically sold their crops at the market, making Tuesdays the best day of the week. By definition, festivals attract visitors. Holiday in school means suspension of classes while holiday in an office means that there will be no usual activities carried out like other days and the employees are exempted from work and need not come. But this isn't learning from a book or in a classroom this is hands-on, experiential learning offered in the fun context of celebration. January 25, 2015. What does Minnesota celebrate? Some of the most prominent are African-American History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Women's History Month. Edutopia and Lucas Education Research are trademarks or registered trademarks of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in the U.S. and other countries. "I believe that we should work to live, not the other way around," he said. [3] In 1800, 83% of the American labor force was agrarian, but today only 11% of total US employment is agriculture-related. In fact, these voters may be more likely to have to work as a result of a federal election holiday, where they may have had time off previously on a random Tuesday in November. State law allows only three parties per school year anyway, and those should be focused on more acceptable events like Christmas. Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. Or is it an optimistic idea that would exclude already disadvantaged voters while failing to increase turnout? 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