where to put them all
tommyLet’s say you are a manager at a call center. You are in charge of seven people. They were all hired on the same day, and all do the same job. In fact, they each do a great job, no one better than the other, and no slackers. Each of the six works in cubicles on the main floor, and you have an office with a great view of Tampa Bay.
One day you are told that two more offices with windows are opening and available to you. Which of the six current workers will get other two offices?
If you are going to be fair, none of the six will get a window.
Kate recently bemoaned the loss of a few religious holidays at school, accusing the board of being chickensh*t. I have to say she’s right, it is chicken. But I also cannot blame the board. They made the right move.
Originally Christians made the rules, so school holidays followed that calendar. Other off days were scheduled for various secular reasons (Presidents, Veterans, Columbus, MLKing, Gasparilla, Labor, Fair Day), or for logistics (planning days, etc.). Along came other religions, rightfully asking for consideration for their holy days, which were eventually granted at the expense of any other given off day. Now comes another religion rightfully asking to switch another day off. It’s all well and good, but we are running out of window offices.
What is next? Buddah Day? Day of Chaos? L. Ron Hubbard Day? Samhain/Halloween? Pastafarian Day? Pick your own, there are plenty of choices.
The point is if we must consider all religions, we must consider none. Perhaps these kids should be going to school every Saturday and Sunday too.
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October 28th, 2005 at 3:11 pm
Keep their asses in school. For real.
October 29th, 2005 at 1:44 pm
You know what I bemoaned? A reasonable request being denied because the school board lacks a backbone. And a thousand-plus year tradition (like Ramadan or Yom Kippur or Christmas) isn’t the same as an L. Ron Hubbard celebration. Not even close. But I understand your point - therefore, make sure homecoming games, etc. don’t coincide and allow staff off without using personal days.
In related news - one of Hillsborough’s commissioners was on the O’Reilley show. Bill went after the school board for the bonehead move. I started to panic, thinking the end days are definitely near if I’m agreeing with Bill O’Reilley! Then he busts out with something like: “If a Muslim kid asks for a day off, you tell him no! This is a Judeo-Christian society!” I was actually relieved - we’re not agreeing, thank God! And all was right with the world…
October 29th, 2005 at 4:57 pm
several other counties in the area don’t give religious holidays off including Pinellas. there is nothing wrong with what Hillsborough is doing.
November 1st, 2005 at 12:47 pm
There just isn’t a high enough absentee rate on Good Friday, Yom Kippur, or Eid ul-Fitr to warrant closing school. Accommodating the religious beliefs of a diverse community by allowing those who need to take the day off to do so without penalty ought to be sufficient. (And it was more than the district did for me while I was attending public school.)