Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Jan 5 2005
Home for the holiday
In an unprecedented move, Glendale Unified School District gives
students the day off for Armenian Christmas.
By Darleene Barrientos, News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE – For the first time, Glendale’s public schools will be
closed Jan. 6 to observe Armenian Christmas.
Glendale Unified School District’s board members unanimously approved
the change in the holiday calendar last March.
Many Armenians observe Dec. 25 and Jan. 6 as crucial parts of the
Christmas season. Thursday, the Day of Epiphany, is a holiday
observed by various Christian faiths for several reasons, including
the revealing of Jesus Christ as the messiah and his baptism. It is
more colloquially referred to as Armenian Christmas.
“There were three reasons why it was done,” Glendale Supt. Michael
Escalante said. “The first one was the kids weren’t at school, so
they were losing a day of instruction. Second, as a result of the
students not being in school, there was a financial impact on the
district. Third, it was to recognize a holiday that traditionally
hadn’t been recognized.”
District officials originally discussed extending the winter break
another week to include the holiday. But after a backlash from
parents upset with the prospect of losing time for family vacations
by ending the school year a week later or earlier, the district
instead made Jan. 6 a day off for all students.
“In previous years when we didn’t have it off, a lot of teachers
would get frustrated just because they knew other students weren’t
coming to school,” Glendale High School student Harra Yoon, 17, said.
“The students didn’t mind – in classes, they could get off easy and
the teachers didn’t give out so much work. It is better that it’s off
because, that way, not so many students get off the work.”
The absence of nearly one-third of the student population – more than
10,000 of the district’s 29,000 students are of Armenian descent –
made it a financial problem. The district earns about $25 per student
per day in state Average Daily Attendance funds. Past years have cost
the district about $250,000 because many Armenian students don’t
attend school that day.
“I think it’s common sense,” Rosemont Middle School PTA President
Jane Stockly said. “It saves money. Our school district always needs
to look to the changing times and changing population by observing
their holidays.”
Other school districts observe Chinese New Year, Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur for the same reasons, she said.
“It makes complete sense to me,” Stockly said. “It’s a way for the
district to be smart with its money.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress