Monday, February 15, 2010

I have to teach today!

Interesting situation. Front Range Community College, where I teach the dismal science, is open for business today, as, I believe, are all the state funded institutions of higher learning here in Colorado. The public schools, the stock market, the post office, and local government offices are also closed. But not the colleges.

What is interesting is that Front Range WAS closed on Martin Luther King Day. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of MLK, consider him a national hero, and truly believe a day to honor him and remember the past stupidity of our country are important. However, I'm not sure why his holiday commands more respect than one named in honor of Lincoln and Washington. In addition, in the Fall we are not closed for Veterans Day. Interesting choice of priorities we have made.

Why is there no holiday named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, without whom we would not have reason to honor any of these other folks?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What you need to understand is that there are faculty and staff employed at the college. Full-time faculty are on contract for the two semesters. Their contract days are set to include a certain amount of prescribed days in each semester, and the week before classes start...and a couple of days after.
Part-time faculty, you are hired to teach the 15 weeks.
The College was open MLK day; classes started the next day. Veteran's Day, President's Day and two other days in the year, the college is open and staff work or take vacation days. The days between Christmas and New Year, the college is closed. We receive our 'lost' vacation days then.
Please check your facts before posting.
No comment about TJ.