Virginia School District To Give Students One Day Off Per Year For 'Civic Engagement'

[demmiblue]

Source: NPR

One of the largest school districts in the country is trying something new: Starting next month, students in Fairfax County, Va., can take one day off per school year to engage in political activism.

The plan has its roots in the 2018 shooting at a Parkland, Fla. high school that left 17 dead. In its aftermath came a rise in student activism unlike anything the Fairfax school district had ever seen, Fairfax School Board member Ryan McElveen tells NPR.

"We saw students wanting to take time out of the school day to lead protests and do things of that nature," says McElveen, who proposed the policy to the school board. "We and other school systems around the nation kind of scrambled to figure out how to handle those protests."

The result is a policy that McElveen says is a first in the nation. Students between 7th and 12th grades will get one excused absence per year for a "civic engagement activity." That might consist of attending a protest, or lobbying legislators in Washington or Richmond — anything that could make the students' voices heard. After submitting the form in advance, and checking in at school on the day of the absence, they can be on their way.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/12/27/791889392/fairfax-va-schools-to-give-students-one-day-off-per-year-for-civic-engagement?utm_term=nprnews&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=npr

[rusty quoin]

1. This is good news.

[appalachiablue]

2. Way to go Fairfax and the Old Dominion

[kelly1mm]

3. So long as it is viewpoint neutral

This should be fine and a good example to set. Some will go to MAGA rallies, some to Bernie rallies. Others to abortion rights marches, others to anti-abortion events.

[rickyhall]

4. Now if we can just make COOL.

[murielm99]

5. There are all kinds of ways to

do civic engagement. It does not always require a day off from school.

When my children were still at home, I took them to all sorts of meetings. We went to township meetings, county board meetings, school board meetings, you name it. We went to town halls. I thought it was important for them to see how decisions were being made, and who was making them. They all grew up to be activists, and to be involved in local politics.

I like the Fairfax County decision, but maybe it does not include enough.

[SMC22307]

6. I love my county. (n/t)