Should School Be Held On Evacuation Day & Good Friday?

A conversation has been brewing over at the Somerville-4-Schools Yahoo group regarding the suggestion that school on Evacuation Day (March 17th) and Good Friday (April 22, 2011-varies per year) should be held.

It seems that this year's amount of snow days has many parents concerned and has resulted in the last day of school being set for the last couple of days in June-a point driven home by Board of Alderman President/Ward 6 Alderman/School Committee Ex Officio Rebekah Gewirtz during her March 10th update to the BOA on School Committee matters.

Ward 5 School Committee Representative Mark Niedergang wrote, in response to a parent's suggestion of holding school on March 17th, "We tried -- the School Committee instructed the Superintendent to discuss having school on March 17th with our unions but they were not willing to consider having school on March 17th. March 17th is a legal holiday in Middlesex County and it, along with other legal holidays, has been in union contracts as days off. We have been able to get rid of Bunker Hill Day (June 17th) as a school holiday. I am hoping we can do the same with March 17th and Good Friday (if it doesn't come during school vacation week)."

As a side note, my work schedule follows the New York Stock Exchange Holiday Schedule. Although, March 17th is not a holiday, Good Friday is-as the NYSE is closed that day.

So, should school be held? Comment your thoughts below...