MLK Jr. Deserves More than a Long Weekend

After one of the longest winter vacation breaks ever experienced by most students at MHS, the students are longing for more time off. With the exciting reminder that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 19^th, many people assumed that the weekend of the 17^th would be a long one. Usually MHS has MLK Jr. Day off, in part because it precedes the annual midterm week, one filled with hours of studying and stress. With the removal of midterms this 2014-2015 year, many students realized they might be able to enjoy this short break from school. However, this assumption was completely wrong. MHS students and faculty will spend Monday, January 19^th in the classrooms, unlike many other school districts throughout the state and country.

This change in the schedule has raised many conversations and anger throughout MHS. Although students are upset because their assumptions were wrong, people see other parts of this change that they think are questionable. First, although the Civil Rights movement occurred over 50 years ago, racial tensions are still present in our American society. In the last year alone, the nation witnessed three high-profile police brutality and killings of black men, echoed by protests and petitions of the American legal system. Whether it was the right thing to do or not in the context of both unique situations, some students do feel that Martin Luther King Jr. should be honored at tense time such as this. These racial tension situations have led to great violence occurring in some places in America, which has horrified many of the US citizens. After witnessing such violence in 2014, many should have even more respect for MLK Jr., who fought for what he believed in passively, despite the great violent acts against him that ultimately led to his death.

Although it is said that the “observed” day of January 19^th is due to the extreme snowstorms that happened last year and to make sure that snow days don’t run out again, it will still be odd to walk the halls on a day honoring such an incredible American. Rather than mourn the loss of a long weekend, perhaps a better way to spend the day would be to honor him with our actions as a school community, such as contributing to community service or donating to civil rights causes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s name.