Two South Carolina civil rights groups are calling for a school district in Rock Hill, S.C. to celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with remembrance and service.

Instead, the district is planning on using it as a snow day make-up to compensate for a winter storm.

Treating MLK Day as just another day sends the message that it's not a real holiday and that students shouldn't take the achievements of Dr. King seriously. That's a false - and, with S.C.'s dark racial history, an ignorant - message to send.

The national Jan. 17 holiday isn't just a day off, say the Rock Hill branch of the NAACP as well as THUG Ministries (True Healing Under God.)  The day, nationally recognized by President Obama and service groups as a "day on - not a day off" is meant to honor the civil rights leader and give all Americans a change to reflect on the movement he led toward equality.

South Carolina was the last U.S. state to recognize MLK Day as a paid holiday, in 2000. Join the NAACP in telling the school district to honor Rev. King's memory with celebration and service - not with business as usual.