From the Daily News:A QUEENS lawmaker is hoping that the third time's the charm when it comes to city schools honoring Lunar New Year.
Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) was joined by two dozen Queens students to ask city and state officials for the third year in a row to close schools on the most important Asian holiday of the year.
"We're going to do this every year until this becomes a reality," Meng vowed during Wednesday's rally at Public School 244 in Flushing. "We just want the same right to celebrate our holiday at home, the same as other cultures."
The Year of the Rabbit began yesterday, and the holiday is celebrated with large family gatherings. Alternate-side parking rules are suspended that day.
Asians make up about 12% of the city's population and 22% in Queens, according to the 2009 American Community Survey.
A lot of children in the community question why their Jewish friends get to celebrate Rosh Hashanah at home but they have to go to school, Meng said.
Christine Colligan, president of the Korean-American Parents Association of Greater New York, said not observing the holiday forces kids to choose between their heritage and school. She noted that the "vast majority" of Asian students are absent that day.
36 comments:
No question about. It should be a school holiday. The lunar new year is celebrated by a much higher precentage of the NYC population then the other new year, Rosh Hashanah. Just switch the school day holiday. Done
there are a lot more jews in the 5 boro's then asians.
Maspeth Mom says..
Just what NYC school kids need... more days NOT in school. If they make it a holiday - they should deduct from the summer holiday.
Great....and goodnight Gracie!
I want to celebrate Woody Woodpecker's birthday and school should be let out to celebrate for the little red head!
LOL!
Meng seems to push only for Oriental issues.
Go to Taiwan and become president!
Is John Liu the hare apparent for mayor?
"A lot of children in the community question why their Jewish friends get to celebrate Rosh Hashanah at home but they have to go to school"
ZOG
"there are a lot more jews in the 5 boro's then asians."
ZOG
"Meng seems to push only for Oriental issues.
Go to Taiwan and become president!"
What ISSUES do you seem to push for?
Go to wherever you're from and become president.
Anon No. 6:
ARP!
Take your hatred and go somewhere else!!!
ARP!
You guys get Brooklyn-Queens Day off bitch!
Not a religious holiday and there are too many days off already.
"Not a religious holiday and there are too many days off already."
What happened to separation of Church and State? We shouldn't be closing schools for religious holidays.
"Meng seems to push only for Oriental issues.
Go to Taiwan and become president!"
Why not? Irish push their issues like immigration. Why not say that to Jews?
Religious holidays are an issue since most who practice certain beliefs are REQUIRED to fast, not attend school etc.
Therefore, ignoring these simple facts would ensure unnecessary conflicts between church and state.
In Taiwan companies can be closed for two weeks for the new year holiday. Perhaps she'd like the schools closed for two weeks here.
No question about. It should be a school holiday. The lunar new year is celebrated by a much higher precentage of the NYC population then the other new year, Rosh Hashanah. Just switch the school day holiday. Done
-----------------------------------
I agree
"Religious holidays are an issue since most who practice certain beliefs are REQUIRED to fast, not attend school etc."
Why is the fact that it involves religion make it REQUIRED? Why is religion always put on a damn pedestal? Just say it's someone's own personal beliefs and be done with it. Oh wait...that would let Asians stay home during the Lunar New Year. And all sorts of other things would be allowed. Can't have that happen!
ew-3 said...
"In Taiwan companies can be closed for two weeks for the new year holiday. Perhaps she'd like the schools closed for two weeks here."
Why write something as stupid as that.
While I don't like religion, I do understand that this person is just asking for a degree of equality.
New Year's Day in the USA is January 1st.
Historically, I think schools were originally closed for Jewish holidays because the overwhelming population of public school teachers were Jewish; i.e., if they all took off, there was no one to teach, whether the students were Catholic or Protestant. So it was easier to just close.
Give those kids the holiday since another day NOT in school wont effect them (Asian kids). They will study at home and learn like cyber machines.
(This from experience) I went to Brooklyn Tech HS in the 70's with hordes of them. They can study 24-7and go 12 hours on a 1 fist of rice. Its unreal.
Another day off will have ZERO effect on kids from all those ferel undomesticated households now making up over 1/2 the childeren under age 9 in the NYC school system.
Those kids are gonna flunk eather way, and the parents dont care. They dont stand a chance, and anybody who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves
The city may as well save some money and coal for those oceanliner sized boilers.
-Joe
American schools should ONLY be closed for Federal Holidays. Have two floater days for kids to take off their religious holidays. That's what Corporate America does.
One thing Americans are not, we are NOT xenophobic to Chinese, LIKE THE CHINESE ARE TO US.
When they stop hating us, THEN, MAYBE we should consider this.
NOT BEFORE.
Shhhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits.
One thing Americans are not, we are NOT xenophobic to Chinese, LIKE THE CHINESE ARE TO US.
When they stop hating us, THEN, MAYBE we should consider this.
NOT BEFORE.
______
*COUGH*COUGH* chinese exclusion act! political cartoons depicting the execution of the Chinese by hanging!I know that was a different time and it's 2011 now but...Americans were at one time xenophobic. It is now not the case (I hope), but you can't say that ALL Americans are not xenophobic and ALL Chinese are.
Shhhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet. I'm hunting wabbits.
_______
How productive! What was the point of saying that? I'm just "vewy" curious. you are just too darn cute!!! *sarcasm*
Considering some of the other things that have been posted here, that's pwetty damn serious!!!
What would a Chinese person actually do on the Lunar New Year - eat, shop, get money from relatives they have to pretend to like, go to a Buddhist temple to pretend like they actually follow faith. Sounds like Meng wants to pass something frivolous & get herself another Louis Vuitton bag
"What would a Chinese person Actually do on the Lunar New Year - eat, shop ?
Many do what I do, its a lot of fun !
I go to Chinatown watch the fireworks & dancing dragons then buy my annual $25 Rolex, LED Yo Yo and go home.
This is how ethnic politicians pander to their base.
Irish? St. Patrick's Day is not a public school holiday.
Year-round school for all. The money you spend on installing air conditioners will be saved tenfold with less arrests during the summer and better graduation rates. And working parents will thank you.
Year round school seems like the way to go. No baby sitting issues for the parents. Each student has a 2-week allowance for vacation, plus the usual holidays. Teachers get paid for the summer anyway. Maybe a year round schedule will help the dumbing down of students. It can't hurt. Try it in New York and see if it takes off. People that don't like it can move to another state.
One could also abolish Rosh Hashanah as a holiday, and eliminate the issue (and tell those who celebrate it to thank Councilmember Meng ). LOL!
Also, Brooklyn-Queens Day celebrates the establishment of the protestant Sunday School movement. It was celebrated by a Sunday School parade in Brooklyn (in which I marched). Therefore, it too is religious.
50% to 60% of 1.1million public school children in n.y.c.,(for the past 40 years,)have not graduated from high school.
many Chancellors have attempted new policies to reverse this result to no avail. a segment of the population does not respond to any education opportunities. that is sad ,but true.
the Asian children ,after regular public school,go directly to tutoring. as a senior ,i use the local libraries very often. they are filled with Asian children using the computers and reading materials.
the local caucasian,hispanic, minority parents and children are at fault for the lack of success in their
lives.
Check this: what continent is Israel on? Asia!
Joe said:
"What would a Chinese person Actually do on the Lunar New Year - eat, shop ?
Many do what I do, its a lot of fun !
I go to Chinatown watch the fireworks & dancing dragons then buy my annual $25 Rolex, LED Yo Yo and go home.
Not only eat and shop. Most of them actually go to a shrine or temple early in the morning which can last to 12 noon, and THEN they go eat and visit the families (elderlies) or friends as a sign or respect to them and get and give red envelopes. But some stay at the temple for the entire day on the first day only. It's only the 3rd day of the 15 days celebration that they should not visit families. All others days are ok.
If we have no school on January 1st/New Year's Day, why should we go to school on Chinese/Asian New Year? I mean, we miss one day of education... Boo hoo.
the jewish holiday is NOT for rosh hashanah. it is there because of yom kippur which is the high holy day which is part of the same holiday. jews in america recognize Jan 1 as the true new years here, it is the high holy day that is the reason for the holiday. asians do not have a high holy day. arabs do which is why some respect ramadan.
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