Martin Luther King Day Letter to the Editor by Kirsti Morin

The following Letter to the Editor by Humanities faculty member Kirsti Morin was published in the Madison Eagle on February 12, 2015. You can find the published letter online here. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Madison schools should not be open on Martin Luther King Day

EDITOR:

As the mother of two children who are growing up in Madison, I am concerned about the recent changes that have been made to the Madison School calendar. Madison schools were in session this past Martin Luther King Day and this day is already scheduled to be in session on the calendar for next year. This plan of action makes me nervous about the message we are sending not only our youth, but for all of our residents. There are many reasons why I am concerned:

One, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood and died for the Civil Rights of African Americans in the United States. This is incredible in of itself, but Dr. King was also recognized world-wide as a Nobel Peace Prize winner who practiced non-violent protesting and collaborated with many different faith traditions and world views. In a time when we want to affirm the rights and dignity of others, Dr. King’s legacy stands as a powerful witness. As a teacher who has taught American history for over 18 years, I celebrate this day not only in honor of this great man, but also as a way to remember everyone who has worked and died for equality whether they are Black, White, Hispanic, Native-American, or Asian. Martin Luther King Day is a day to honor all who have stood up to unjust laws and preached equality and freedom including President George Washington, Mahatma Gandi, and Malala Yousafzai. By not honoring this day, what message are we sending?

Two, the bill for a Martin Luther King Day was created four days after King’s assassination in 1968. Many ignored and disagreed with the bill by questioning whether King was worthy of being elevated to the level of President’s Day. But the State of New Jersey was one of the first to recognize and embrace the importance of this day and recognized Martin Luther King Day in 1977. In November 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill that made Martin Luther King Day a Federal holiday. Finally, in 2000, after a long and challenging 32-year fight, all fifty states finally made this a state paid holiday. By not honoring this day, what message are we sending?

Three, we were one of the few school systems in the area to send our children to school on this day. My children are white, and like the other 13, 635 white residents of Madison, they have grown up with the benefits of their skin color. According to that same 2010 Census, there are 544 Madison residents who consider themselves Black or African-American. Why was this day cut before cutting out the day before President’s Day or the Tuesday after President’s day? These were new additions to the calendar and clearly Martin Luther King Day was exchanged for one of these. Again, by not honoring this day, what message are we sending?

Four, for many of us, Martin Luther King Day is not a day off, it is a day on: like many around the United States, our families participate in service activities that honor King’s legacy. I know Madison celebrates and promotes service, as every week in the Eagle I read of the many projects that Madison residents of all ages are involved in. I imagine that the few activities honoring King that took place in Madison schools may have satisfied some as a way to legitimize the day at school, but I have not heard yet of any service. I agree with the recent letter by former Madison High School teacher Joseph Russo (Madison Eagle, February 5, letters to the editor, page 4) that this holiday needs to be taught thoughtfully and purposefully in all Madison Schools. While I stand by this message wholeheartedly, I feel that this should be in conjunction with taking the day off. By not honoring this day, what message are we sending?

Instead of a day at school, I see the reinstatement of this day as an honored holiday as an opportunity for Madison. Let us send the message that every student and resident in Madison matters by honoring Dr. King in the spirit of this Federal and State holiday. I have no doubt that the Social Studies departments in all Madison schools cover King and the Civil Rights Movement adequately in their curriculum during the year. But, as a united town, we can extend our cultural competency further, and include presentations about King and the many Civil Rights Movements the week leading up to the holiday. We can provide students and their families with opportunities to participate in service activities.

Dr. Rossi and the Madison School Board, please reconsider the decision to hold school on Martin Luther King Day next year. I leave you with two quotes:

The first is by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, the first year of celebrating the Federal holiday. He said, “This year marks the first observance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a national holiday. It is a time for rejoicing and reflecting. We rejoice because, in his short life, Dr. King, by his preaching, his example, and his leadership, helped to move us closer to the ideals on which America was founded. . . . He challenged us to make real the promise of America as a land of freedom, equality, opportunity, and brotherhood.”

The second is from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1964. He said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

KIRSTI MORIN