Reader-submitted: Why Are Girls Schools Closed Tomorrow?

opinionI am sitting in my office plowing through a days work while fasting, and my wife emails me to inform me that there is no school tomorrow for the Girls. Now, I understand why there is a half a day today and that would be because most years Purim starts right after the Taanis, although they really should have scheduled a full day today too.

Why in the world is there no School tomorrow? Even if it is a hardship for teachers and school staff to prepare shabbos and purim, they have the whole day today and a late shabbos tomorrow for that, and besides, they knew Purim was coming for weeks.

Besides this, for every one teacher (and maybe assistant) that has to work harder to prepare, there are 40 mothers and fathers in each class that have to rearrange everything. I just can’t wrap my head around it. It seems every other week my kids are off of school for another reason that makes no sense.

Can someone please respond if there is a valid reason for this? There are a couple of girls schools that are on for tomorrow but the majority are off. What Gives?

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46 COMMENTS

  1. The problem is today’s schools are considered day care centers not a place to learn. It’s not so crazy that there isn’t school tomorrow. The schools don’t give off that often. The crazy part is that ANY time there is no school – there’s an uproar amongst the parents.
    Tomoorw is a day to get ready for Purim in a calm manor – do the kids today ever see yom tov preparations? No
    The generation we live in.

  2. My thoughts exactly!!! As a working mother who loves her job, the absolutely worst part of my job is begging babysitting favors from family and half days from my boss every time I turn around. Can this craziness please stop?!

  3. I 100% agree with this post. The school system will never understand the reality of the working parent. We can’t just not go to work because schools are closed for the girls-were there not enough snow days this year??? Is there nothing for them to teach the kids??? Do you know how many play groups canceled because the schools closed-it is ridiculous.

  4. It might sound a bit crazy, but I feel that the problem is the parents. see, we parents go along with the “system” like sheep. We are so terrified to even question, let alone criticize the schools “hanhala” that we just simply go along. we are so “delighted” that we finally got into the school we want to, and therefore just let the system take over our lives. (I bet you that 99.99% of parent are mad as anything about this, they discuss it with everyone they know, but not with the people that run the schools). Had my business have run like the schools in this town, I would have bankrupted after 2 months. we must stand up and voice our opinion.

  5. There have been many sundays to get ready in a calm manor for Yom Tov. Please give us a better reason. The 3 hours of school is not what will make it or break it… lets get real! There is no reason for this.

  6. #1 the real problem is that the parents look at themselves like a day care center and therefore need their children babysat all rthe time

  7. Truthfully, Lakewood has from the lowest tuitions of yeshivos and day schools in the U.S.A. The teachers also get paid less. If you want more school help give the teacher raises. They have from the largest classes of yeshivos and day schools in the U.S. They are overworked. I know it is tough on the parents tom. but sorry, I fargin the marbitzei Torah.
    A freiliche Purim
    and shushan purim with the kiddos.

  8. I so totally agree with the writer. On a regular fast day, the elementary school children do not end early. Only high school & upper grade elementary school children have a half a day. This fast day should’ve been treated the same as the other ones, for the same reason the writer gives that Purim doesn’t start tonight. And yes, tomorrow is a regular day; make that a long Friday. I hope I’ll be able to keep my children entertained for that long. With all the days these children were off this winter, and don’t you worry Pesach vacation is starting soon; & the children will be off already a good week before Pesach; just in case I needed them to help me prepare for Yom Tov..
    So, as you can tell I 100% agree with this writer.

  9. oh please #1!! I agree with the writer of this article- it’s ridiculous!!! MAYBE if the schools go three days longer this year in June, for all the snow days and random hmmm-this-day-makes-sense-to-give-off days…. MAYBE THEN it would be justified. Otherwise, it’s complete garbage, we watch our hard earned tuition money go down the drain.

    Signed, A mother who feels like she home-schools because kids seem to always be home this year!

  10. #1 you didn’t answer his question. his question was is a morahs desire to get ready for purim in a calm matter a reason at all?!!!!! nobody is saying schools are daycare centers, but they are just like you said PLACES TO LEARN, so…go learn!!

  11. to the mother that loves her job more tben her children. maybe she should rethink her priorities. the girls should be home till after pecash to help tbere mothers.
    a fathef of 3 girls

  12. I can honestly say I’m a working mom for 1 reason, and tht is 2 b able 2 pay my kids tuitions. I love my children dearly ans as a matter of fact they r very well behaved, its not abt entertaining them. I’m going 2 get fired sooner than later, there r just so many days my boss will allow me 2 take off!!

  13. #1 and 14 girls and boys always have half day on a fast day and that is understandable. Tomorrow isn’t. I am a teacher, and while I’m glad you have off I really don’t understand it. I guess when they looked at the calendar and saw Purim was Sunday they decided to give off Friday since there is no Purim vacation. It makes no sense. It causes so many problems for so many parents.

  14. I’ll begin by saying that I work and my wife is home, and enjoys the kids home on snow days and days off.
    The schools made us risk the safety of ourselves and children to carpool when the BOE cancelled due to snow, why, because “there had already been several school days and our children must not miss so much learning”, and now an off day!! There’s a reason why so many kids are at risk, they se the hypocrisy of the schools that teach them. So much of what is taught is lost when the kids get this message. If you want them to see prep for a yom tov, give them off every Friday and have school on Sunday. Crazy.

  15. Father of three girls – did you ask your wife’s opinion on that matter? I def don’t want my five and six year old daughters until pesach. Although I love when they are off(I don’t have work issue) If I entertain them I am no longer getting ready for pesach! Little kids are not a help in this area!

  16. My daughter had school last year on Friday. This year, they are off. But they had 1 shorter day of mid winter vacation, so maybe they swapped the day. Also, Purim is on a Sunday this year, so you don’t lose that day of work. It was on the calendar and playgroups follow the calendar. (I am pretty sure my daughter’s school has a 1/2 day every fast day, even the younger grades.)

  17. Answer- there is no reason. It is laziness that drives this. They couldn’t care less if you happen to work. Same laziness that drives the board of Ed to cancel buses all the time for laughable reasons that never would have canceled school when we grew up in NY or similar. Very sad.

  18. I spoke to a friend of mine…..I only have boys, she has to leave her children (old enough) home alone tomorrow because she simply cannot take the time off of work. there is nothing to talk about. When the schools close classes for a day for no reason, do they realize that many of these children may be left home alone for a number of hours because a parent just cannot take off of work? So to #1 I ask you….do you think that the parents are coming home to a calm house when the kids have been at home with nothing to do all morning (all day)?

  19. my girls are the only (I think) girls school who have school tomorrow and they are none too pleased about it. I do have my playgroup children home though! There is NO reason for having off tomorrow. many of us work, and work continues. there were enough snow days this year for those who feel everyone needs a break. the schools take total advantage. even if parents did want to stand up to this, how do we go about it? One parent gathers all parents and starts demonstrating outside the school? We all meet with the administrator separately???? THis is Nuts!

  20. I am a working mother and technically agree with the writer. However, it is important to remember that schools are not babysitters. Thinking back to when I grew up, my mother did not work and if school was off, it just meant that she was home with the children. Perhaps the schools should adapt to the fact that most mothers in todays day work or perhaps mothers need to understand that schools are not babysitters. For the children, it is nice to be off and prepare for Purim etc.

  21. the teachers fast too! a half a day is necessary! and about tomorrow, stop complaining- the school works just as hard as you, maybe more. if your work takes priority over your kids, then there’s a problem here.

  22. It’s degrading to imply the schools or teachers are babysitters or lazy. If you have a valid question then ask your school. I’m certain all the schools can relate to working mothers just from most teachers are working moms. There day doesn’t end at school, they take homework to review, field and make phone calls, make lesson plans, greet students on shabbos, and the list goes on. You think there pulling down six digit income with benefits ie health, 401k, sick days? They get home and most after leading kids all day then have to be on deck for their own kids and spouse and all the other simchas and sadness that can come each day. The kids should enjoy being kids and staff and teachers need administration and private time. Give it a rest and stop all your whining like your own kids probably do when things don’t go their way .

  23. The only part of this system that I disagree with wholeheartedly is the fact that this day off was decided at the last minute. It did not appear in my daughter’s school calendar. She came home from school today telling me she has off until after Shushan Purim. Some of us like to plan for these days and do not appreciate being told at the last minute. I do not want my daughter hanging out with friends in my house all day tomorrow. Doing that instead of being in school learning is a waste. I do not want to have to watch many of my neighbors children because they also couldn’t make plans and need to work. However, that is what will happen since there is no semblance of planning on the part of the schools and no adherence to the calendar we received at the beginning of the year. Much like last summer trying to figure out when the girls schools were planning to begin the school year…we found out that there would be an extra 2 weeks of for the girls at the very last minute. It would have been nice to plan a vacation, but not possible when you are notified only a couple of days in advance.

  24. For a town were most women have to work, I find there is extreme insensitivity to the parents schedule. I work for myself because I don’t think I would be able to keep a job with the amount of days off and impromptu carpool. Why do we have to find out 8:30 that there is no school. Or early dismissal for the atzeres. Or high school play carpool. A little earlier notice maybe??? Sensitivity please??? At least we knew about it before …

  25. the real reason the schools are closed ? Schools started in August this year because rosh hashono was early. So to be fair to the teachers this Friday is off. Thursday is 1/2 day for the teachers which is why the whole school has it not just upper grades. And by the way this was set up in the summer so if people had complaints they should have voiced them then.

  26. You obviously are implying very direct criticism at the system. If you would open your eyes you would see that today many families need two incomes. Not just in Lakewood, not just learning- everywhere. The cost of living, tuition, insurance, etc cannot be supported by just one -even “educated” salary.

  27. The truth is we’re all griping because were just mentally worn out. Its been a long, hard winter & the oilam is exhausted. Parents are exhausted & the teachers are exhausted. Have a wonderful Shabbos & Purim.

  28. Still waiting for something to be done about Fridays too. My elementary daughter is home by 11:50 EVERY Friday even in the summer when Shabbos doesn’t start until 7:00pm! I’d gladly pay more tuition just to get a decent school day.

  29. To Chaim: The board of education does not cancel for laughable reasons!! Their reasons are for safety of students, staff and drivers. When there is snow and ice on the roads there should not be people out running all over town!!!! IT IS CALLED SAFETY.

  30. I completely understand the situation. However when you complain about delays and closings when the weather is horrible and the roads are dangerous, it sounds like you don’t want to be home with your children. Their safety should ALWAYS come first!

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