Apparently, it’s to protect that most-important family vacation:
A unique Virginia law designed to help the tourism industry is extending summer vacations in the Commonwealth while pupils in the District of Columbia and Maryland began the school year this month.
Virginia is the only state in the country that prohibits public schools from opening before the Tuesday after Labor Day without permission from the Virginia Board of Education. Local school systems and education advocates have urged legislators for years to remove the restriction, known as the “King’s Dominion Law.” The Richmond-area amusement park and other tourist attractions are major proponents of delaying classes until September because they rely on student workers.
Besides protecting the tourism industry, lawmakers resistant to change say opening schools earlier would not give students more instruction time before crucial standardized tests.
“The last week of August is prime vacation time for families,” said Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax. “Before we changed the law 20 years ago, kids would show up on the first day of school and then you wouldn’t see them until after Labor Day. We’re talking about a few extra days of school, and some people act like it is the end of Western civilization.” Most districts with exemptions are in rural areas of the state where snow cancels a substantial numbers of school days each year. Fairfax County is the only Northern Virginia system allowed to open before Labor Day, but other districts would like similar latitude without the state’s permission.
Well, I’m glad to see they have their priorities straight.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:49 am
It’s unseasonable and unreasonable to start school before Labor Day…in fact, I’m sure God does not approve such frivilous change…
…but, hey, it leaves more room for home schoolers to get those summer jobs.