Fairfax 2021-22 School Calendar Designates Religious Observances

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — On Thursday, the Fairfax County School Board voted 6-5 to approve the calendar for the 2021-2022 school year, which observes certain religious and cultural holidays but doesn't provide days off.

Fairfax County Public Schools is one of Virginia's most diverse school districts with 37.8 percent of students being white, 26.8 percent Hispanic, 19.5 Asian, 9.8 Black, and 5.7 percent multiracial. Area faith groups had been pushing for the calendar to observe Jewish, Hindu and Muslim holidays, according to the Washington Post.

Instead, the school board set 15 religious and cultural observances without a student holiday: Eid al-Adha, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Día de los Muertos, Diwali, Bodhi Day, Three Kings Day/Epiphany, Orthodox Christmas, Orthodox Epiphany, Lunar New Year, Ramadan, Good Friday, Theravada, Orthodox Good Friday/Last Night of Passover and Eid al-Fitr.

During these 15 religious and cultural observations FCPS cannot schedule tests, quizzes, field trips, graduation, homecoming, or athletic events. Tests and quizzes will be given before observances so students will not have to study on these holidays, and employees will be permitted to make up 16 hours of any time they miss for religious or cultural observances.

Additionally, spring break is decoupled from religious or cultural observances but allows for those observing holidays during that time period to observe.

"The approach taken in the development of this calendar is one of equity and inclusivity, said School Board Chair Ricardy Anderson in a statement. "It aims to center equity by elevating our systems' respect for religious and cultural observances. While this final calendar for 2021-22 may not align with the goals of everyone in Fairfax County, it recognizes all religious and cultural observances where Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has seen above-average absences over the last five years."

School board members voting for the calendar option recommended by the superintendent were Megan McLaughlin, Ricardy Anderson, Elaine Tholen, Tamara Kaufax, Karen Corbett Sanders, and Stella Pekarsky. Opposing members were Melanie Meren, Rachna Heizer, Abrar Omeish, Laura Jane Cohen, and Karl Frisch. Two opposing members introduced a motion to add Yom Kippur, Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, and Good Friday as school holidays, but the motion failed 5-6.

The calendar sets the first day of school as Monday, August 23, 2021, and the last day of school as Friday, June 10, 2022. Student holidays include a Labor Day weekend from Sept. 3 to 6, 2021, a three-day Thanksgiving break from Nov. 24 to 26, 2021, a two-week winter break from Dec. 20, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021, Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 17, 2022, Presidents Day on Feb. 21, 2022, a one-week spring break from April 4 to 8, 2022, and Memorial Day on May 30, 2022.

The board did vote unanimously to direct FCPS officials to work on a calendar development process. The school board wants the process to establish clear criteria and priorities for the calendar, clearly define roles of staff, the school board, and community, and create a community engagement process outlining how and where feedback will be shared with the school board.

"Going forward, we will establish clearly defined priorities and a robust engagement process that allows us to do this work in a better, more inclusive way," said Anderson.

See the full calendar for 2021-2022 here.