It's Aug 20th why aren't kids in school in Texas? Because Six Flags says it's more important they

spend money at their parks instead of learning.


Texans for a traditional school year are concerned about education, no, they are concerned about Six Flags money. Pretty easy to see who pays this groups bill.

http://www.traditionalschoolyear.org/economic-impact-table3.html
Table Three
Top Texas Tourist Attractions
Rank Attraction City Percent of
Texas Visitors
1 Alamo San Antonio 38.8%
2 River Walk San Antonio 34.1%
3 Six Flags Over Texas Arlington 26.6%
4 San Marcos Outlet Malls San Marcos 25.1%
5 State Capitol Austin 23.1%
6 Fort Worth Stockyards Fort Worth 21.2%
7 Padre Island National Seashore 20.4%
8 Astrodome* Houston 20.4%
9 Sea World of Texas San Antonio 18.8%
10 San Antonio Zoo San Antonio 17.2%
11 Six Flags Fiesta Texas San Antonio 14.8%

http://www.traditionalschoolyear.org/economic_impact12-00.html

"Early school start dates and a shortening summer tourist season annually cut an estimated $332 million out of tourist economies in Texas and migrant farm workers lose out on another $27 million in earnings foregone. The present structure of the school year may also be costing the districts as much as $10 million in higher cooling costs each year."



Pretty sad when the attitude is "Who cares about some damn learning! We need those kids spending money at the water park!"

The $332 million is money people could keep if their kids were in school in August, it's only being mentioned as taking it away from the tourist industries, not as in starting school in August would save parents $332 million.

I know that it has also happened in North Carolina - and I'm sure in many other states, as well.

And count me as one who thinks that school should start after Labor Day.

here in my part of MA.

the kids should have Memorial Day to Labor Day off. It's the only time in their lives when that'll happen.

:shrug: Cheap farm labor.

If they're talking about merely pushing back the school year, no problem.

In Southern California. I think August is too early, myself.

They are just don't get out for summer break as early if they start later in August.

While I can see why these places would want the business during the hottest part of they year, I can also see how sticking kids in buses w/o AC during the hottest part of the year is something to be avoided.

Most schools break up their two semesters into three six week grading periods. That's why school starts in August these days. That means you should have 18 weeks of school in the fall and 18 in the spring. But this year my school is starting so late that we're only going to have 15 weeks of instruction in the fall, plus a four day week for finals in late December.

I think it's more important to have a full load of instruction for the students rather that live by some archaic, sentimental idea of starting school after Labor Day.

I made no mention of waiting until after Labor Day.

My reason, and the reason my district fought for this was the heat. It's common here for children to have an hour or longer bus rides when the outside temperatures are often over 100 degrees. The buses do not have AC and we have many children each school year that get sick due to the heat. I do not base my opinion on anything other than that.

Now as to your issue at your school. I can defiantly see your point. Perhaps the place to make a portion of this time up in your school would be cutting out some of the Christmas break? If they went to school until the weekend before Christmas that would give the students a full three weeks of school in December, rather than the two that are traditional.

In my district they begin classes on the 27th of August and have the short Christmas break. This amounts to in right at 17.5 weeks of school for the students in the fist half of the year.

Lots of schools in different parts of the country don't begin until September.

I can't figure out why you guys are starting in the hottest part of summer either. Maybe you wouldn't have football players dropping dead from heat stroke if you went back to school in September, like almost everybody else in the country.

...the better.

with classes in high heat and hurricane warnings.

My classes ended just before the end of June and started after Labor Day. I can read and write. My high school was notorious for the number of ivies it graduated. It ain't the number of days. It's what you do with them.

And putting kids in school to save on babysitting fees is probably the worst reason I've ever heard.

September or after labor day. Went to mid-June but that was only because we Catholic kids got some extra holy days off. Why the heck should kids in the South being going back when it's so damn hot yet any way?

But then I'm one of those who think kids should still get the summer off and they need to lighten up on homework - to me most of it is make work. I really think we're becoming a society who is taking childhood away from kids. I'm also against all these organized activities for kids after school - you know the overemphasis on organized sports, martial arts, dance lessons, etc. from the very youngest ages. I used to teach martial arts and I can tell you most of the kids coming to class were tired and/or really didn't want to be there but were forced to by their parents. And some of those kids were overscheduled with activities of some sort almost every night.

I would never have thought I would make this statement---year round schools are good, for the kids and their education.

About 7 or8 yearsbefore I retired, our district had to go year round---huge numbers of students the main reason. The district had to fight tooth and nail with studies, stats and such, but after the first 2 years it worked great- kids would come back after their month off, ready to get started again - they had apparently retained more of what they had learned the months previously. Year round was great, until............

The district decided, for whatever reason,they didn't want it any longer. The old stats were pulled out and twisted- to influence the community and year round was fini!

Those 5 years were the best of my teaching career, in respect to the students and the curriculum and learning.

ah well---

I went there once, spent about a month, and I would not give a good god dam if I never saw the state again.

a society having a bunch of illiterate adults: they don't make enough money to spend on theme parks and attending athletic events.

I was wondering why my kids didn't start school sometime this week. Instead, they are starting them on MONDAY of all days (27th), a crappy way of doing it. I'd rather school start on a Wednesday for a shorter first week for the kids and teachers to ease into the school year.

Edited for numerous typos.

We never went back to school until after Labor Day.

Didn't have to wait till after Labor Day to start.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, it was always the day after Labor Day.

When I taught college, the students usually arrived on the Thursday and Friday before Labor Day, had orientation activities over the weekend, and then started classes on Tuesday.

August 20 is awfully early, especially in TEXAS, where it could be 100° with high humidity in August.

late this year. They also get out early here, mid to end of May.

let them have their free time. It only comes around once for most of us.

Unless they get specail permission from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Schools cannot start until after Labor Day. IIRC, the law, pushed through by the tourism lobby was passed in the final years of King Tommy's reign.

The UW System is also under the same restrictions. They cannot start classes after Labor Day, as well.

Next year if a school wants to start earlier than Aug 18, they have to get special permission.

Its very hot this time of year. I have no issue with schools starting later, I do have issues with the start of school being dictated by the tourism industry.