School started back here in Indiana last week... some, even, two weeks ago. My niece and nephew started back this week. And yet, I'm surprised to hear that there are some schools out there that still don't go back until after Labor Day. To that I say... WTH??
I don't remember EVER going to school AFTER Labor Day. Yet, up here people talk about kids going back to school before Labor Day like it's one of the ten deadly sins! And of course, they gripe, too, when kids are still in school AFTER Memorial Day in May. Where was I when those two holidays became the 'official' beginning and end of summer? I never heard of that until I moved to Indiana. I always went back to school in August, and got out the first week in June. And there were no snow days to blame it on - that's just the was it was.
It irks me even more when they claim that to be the 'official' beginning and end of summer as all the summer related services open and close then, too. Think community pools, ice cream shops, and the like. Again, WTH?? I was SO thankful when the Dairy Queen down the road from my house got new ownership that didn't see it that way. Granted, he still closes in the dead of winter (this is a really old school DQ, with just a walk-up window and no grill to speak of for burgers). But at least he gets that he can still make money well into fall and relatively early in the spring.
Take it for what it's worth, but Indiana is definitely a State that does not like change. I've seen it over and over, again, in all realms, from political stances to social antics... I never thought I'd consider where I grew up as being progressive, but compared to Indiana, it is. I guess it had to be, being 'The Space Coast' and all. But the argument about when school should being and end never ceases to amaze me. With 'balanced calendars' becoming so popular, too, I'm just waiting to start hearing those gripes about when the kids are (or aren't) in school. And we'll see how snow days affect it, too. For now, I just toll my eyes and shake my head. I know I don't have kids, so 'I don't get it' according to some... but I'm looking at it more from an outsiders perspective... as someone who never did it that way. That thought process seems very antiquated to me... bottom line, times change. If you don't change with them, you'll be left behind.
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