The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) School Board should reduce accommodations for religious observance days (labeled “O” days on the FCPS calendar).

The School Board’s current policy for religious observance days violates the notion of separation of church and state.

It is not FCPS’ responsibility to ensure that religious holidays are observed. Rather, it is FCPS’ responsibility to ensure that our students are being educated. 

For the 2021-2022 school year, the FCPS School Board instituted the following new policy:

Tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or FCPS-scheduled athletic events cannot be scheduled on any of the 15 religious and cultural observances. Tests and quizzes will be given prior to any of the 15 days, so that students will not be expected to study on these days.

Also, whether explicitly or implicitly stated, teachers have been told they cannot teach any new material on “O” days. 

The result is that learning/teaching is constrained - - or in some cases, paused completely - - on “O” days.

In high school, students are watching movies or on their phones on religious observance days they don’t observe. That is 15 days our students are not learning (three weeks of school).

Additionally, at least one national Advanced Placement (AP) test has been scheduled on a day that falls on a religious observance day. This is causing confusion as AP test dates and schedules are being changed.

Only THREE accommodations are necessary for religious holiday observances (which FCPS has always provided in the past):

1) Absences for religious observance should be excused or not counted at all.

2) Teachers should offer extensions for missed work.

3) Teachers should allow for students to make up any missed tests or quizzes.

It is a child’s/parent’s right to celebrate their religion on religious observance days, but it is their responsibility to make up any work missed. FCPS policy should allow for time to make up missed work and tests, but the School Board/FCPS policy should not prevent other students from learning new material, completing assignments, participating in sports, or taking tests/quizzes.