Schools don’t need holiday

Requiring schools to observe Veterans Day as a holiday would be a mistake.

A proposal in the state Legislature to require all schools in the state to close for Veterans Day could have the opposite of the desired effect.

A state Senate Education committee unanimously approved legislation last week that would require districts to close schools for Veterans Day. It’s already a state holiday, and nine of the state’s 85 districts already give students the day off.

While the idea no doubt is well intentioned, we doubt it would encourage students to spend more time celebrating Veterans Day and the sacrifice of those who served. In all likelihood, it would become just another holiday from school.

By contrast, schools now are required to devote at least one hour of the school day to Veterans Day activities. Educators and some senators say that many students would learn more about the holiday’s meaning by keeping them in school and bringing in veterans to talk to them. Many students would not attend local events, and some small towns don’t have any.

We also question whether students need another holiday. Lawmakers are considering lopping off five days from the end of the school year; why would they shorten the year even more by declaring Veterans Day a holiday — which we assume also would be a paid holiday for teachers?

No disrespect for veterans, but this idea makes no sense.