Are Your Kids' Schools Open Today?

Schools are open (I'm a teacher). Some schools, mostly elementary, are used for voting, but education still happens even with the disruption.

My kids' school is open AND it's a polling place. I wish the teachers had an inservice day. It has always stuck me as insane that for 179 days of the year, people who come to the school have to get buzzed in by the office, but on election day they let people in off the street in hoards. .

Schools are closed. Not a teacher work day. We don't get Veterans' Day (and we're a military community!)...Grrrrrr.......

I think across the country, school is in session for a similar number of days. So you may have these days off that others don't but then we get other days off you don't. I understand the frustration but school isn't "childcare". You're a parent and kids have to be taken care of. Part of being a parent... Part of what should go into the decision process of having kids. Maybe post how many days your school is in session and see if it's fewer than other states. It probably isn't. All districts have the half days I believe for conferences - at least everyone I've ever spoken to. And of course Thanksgiving, Veterans and day after Thanksgiving are off.

It saddens me to hear anyone talk about election days as anything but the privilege that they are. Some of our issues have to do with how dramatically different the voting experience can be in one region over another due to state by state rules. I would love to see Election day treated as a holiday.

And NOTHING related to allowing people to vote is a imposition. Women died and were tortured to win you the right to vote. People in regions were voter suppression is active wait in line for HOURS to vote. Go vote. Be glad you have the right. Your schools have a mandated number of days they have to have classes - so that is not an issue.

Well, tell us how you really feel...

Our schools are closed and many of them are polling places. If I recall correctly, the aftercare program treated this like any other day off and the kids went to their care even if there was no class going on in the building. I do overall agree with Christine who mentioned that the rest of the year people need to be buzzed in through the office, so why open the school to everyone on election day?

I'll be taking my DD in with me, just like every other election since she was born. We'll have a discussion about voting rights and how when her great-grandmother was born, women didn't have the right to vote. The kids no longer get Columbus Day off and I think having today off is a fair trade. Much better reason. And to use it as a professional day? Win-win, IMO.

I don't find it insane or have any problem with them doing this. Is your gripe really about voting and using schools for polling places (which makes sense to me) or that you don't like your kids' schedule? If you don't like the days off, maybe it's time to vote out some of those decision makers from the school board.

I homeschool so we always have school (in some way). I voted early this year (last week) and took my daughter with me since (IMO) it is important that she understands how our country works. As for days off from school, kids need a break too.

Would you prefer to live where you don't have a choice? Or maybe forced voting where the government picks for you? To me it's worth the inconvenience.

Schools are open, and 3 of the schools are polling places. There is a police officer at every polling place (and always has been so it's not a reaction to specific school shootings, although it may be to control access to the school).

I'd like to see Election Day be a national holiday, with school closed (and no teacher professional development) and no parents (or anyone else) going to work. I'd like to see parents taking kids to polling places (I always did when my son was young) and I'd like to see young people be able to get involved in political/civic activity, even if it's just holding signs and waving to passing cars. I'd like to see voter participation go UP, and getting parents and children involved in that is one way.

I'd cancel Columbus Day since it's so controversial. I'd cancel Veterans Day, but have in-school assemblies related to the holiday because I think it's important. While our public schools are closed on Veterans Day, when I taught in private schools, we were open. But we always had Veterans-oriented programs and assemblies. I'd like to see schools devoting a chunk of the day to Veterans awareness, inviting in Vets to meet with students and work on age-appropriate activities. Those could include making flags and having parades, making posters and writing essays/poems, learning patriotic songs (amazing how many kids don't know many), and involving veterans in the classroom. Older kids could get into conversations about war, PTSD, homelessness among veterans, etc. Everyone could participate in a community service project for a local Veterans shelter. That would truly honor our veterans instead of the day being a shopping event, and it would solve part of the excessive-November-holiday problem.

I also think it's outrageous that stores open on Thanksgiving, forcing people to go to work on that day. I also think they should not be opening at 4 or 5 AM on Friday. So many holidays have become shopping days, which means that everyone in retail has to work those days (getting in 2 hours before the shoppers). I think workplaces and schools should close on Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday (no work gets done anyway!) so that our #1 national holiday can be celebrated by families (at home or traveling). It does seem a little counterintuitive to spend a day being grateful for what we have and then cutting it short so we can go buy more stuff because we don't have enough. The bargains will still be there later on Friday and all weekend. There's no reason to create this Black Friday panic and ruin holidays as well as put pressure on families.

So if schools had no holidays in October, just one in November (election day) and Thanksgiving weekend, parents could really plan. If there is no election in a given year, that day could be a professional development day, or just a regular school day so kids aren't going to school in late June!

Schools in my state have been closed on Election Day as long as I have lived here, since 2000. I have no problem with it, even when it meant I had to take a day of leave because I couldn't find a sitter and the kids were home. Voting is my civic duty, and I vote no matter what.

I used to get annoyed that the kids were home so much in general, but really, they are kids. I'd rather them not have to go to school at all anyways. So if they get a day off here or there, so be it. Everyone needs a break.

Plus, since I voted last week, my husband will vote today - and the kids get to go. We love for them to see how to vote, that it's not scary, that it IS important, and that just because you pick a certain person it does not mean that person will win. So we use it as an educational day of our own.

If you REALLY want to be infuriated about school closing, come live in my county where they get a day and a half off because of the county fair.

ETA: WHAT?!?! Make Veteran's Day a work and school day but not MLK Day? I'm so confused. Veteran's Day IS a day off of school where we are as well as a Federal Holiday. A lot of corporations may not close, but it is a FEDERAL holiday. How about we take away your winter break and have the day off to honor those who fought for our freedoms? I know my family and friends who fought enjoy taking that day off, enojy the benefits so many companies offer on that day, and like the time spent with family.

Really...if a day off of school is so horrible, people need to rethink having kids. School is not meant to be a daycare.

Can you plan your days off when your kids have days off? Then you can enjoy these breaks together. Your kids would love to have a day with you to go to the park, the library, bake some cookies, etc. I'm sure you are given the school calendar in advance.

Students and teachers both need breaks! Imagine the poor teachers who have to deal with kids all day. Not all of them are like your kids. Many are broken. Many parents are broken - taking their frustrations out on the teachers. It has somehow become okay to have no filter when talking to teachers...

And kids have so much stress these days! Today's 15-year-old has the same amount of stress as a 50-year-old from years ago (don't remember the exact statistic). A day to chill with a parent is a great answer!

If you can't get all the school holidays off, can you trade with a friend and you take their kids on a Saturday? Kids seem to entertain each other most of the time.

Our schools are closed for a teacher work day which coincides with election day.
It doesn't bother me.
They go to school for a total of 180 teaching days and they fit that in to a 10 month schedule with no difficulties.
As it is, our son is a STEM student (he's 16) and they still have to go to school for 2 hours today (I drop him off) because they are meeting to discuss summer internships.
I vote every election day.

I like the idea of everybody getting election day off. This is how they do it in lots of countries. It encourages/allows folks to vote. It wouldn't work in this country for a myriad of reasons, but I wish it would.

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And Washington State is all mail-in voting, so no excuses.

This is the first year they are home for it. I'm glad for it - I have always taken them to the polls with me when they were preschoolers to talk about voting. They'll go today, too. Then we are off to the museum. I understand that it's an inconvenience to you. Children often are. But in five years, my girl will be ready to leave home, so I'm going to soak up every opportunity to be with her I can get, no matter how crazy she and her brother make me.

Mom2kck - even worse, when I was a kid, we always had the first day of hunting season off!

Schools in my area have always been closed for election day. Even when I was little. I would prefer the teachers used election day as a teacher workday/training day/conference day etc than had to schedule some other day but it really does not make much difference--it will be one day or the other.

My kids do have school on Veterans Day, full day the day before Thanksgiving, day off after (allow for travelling families) and my youngest has no half days. HS has a late start (1 hour later) and a half day each month.

BTW, the HS has parent/teacher conference setup for today. I will be visiting 14 different teachers tonight scheduled from 6:30 to 8:25--so not a waste of time in my book.

ETA: I saw other posts about people wandering, even before extra security was put in place at our schools, when you go to vote, you are directed straight to the gym, no walking all over the place. There are administrators and I guess maybe volunteers/security to direct and cutoff any wandering.

Our schools are open and are polling places.

Our schools are closed. They called it teachers in service.

No school for kids here. Schools are a polling place.

This is our second year of closing.

Three years ago parents went to superintendent concerned with all the school shootings and allowing people into the schools to vote while classes were in session. District responded by closing schools on election day, and having kids go to school on veterans day. They do a special ceremony for the veterans at school that day which I think is a good thing.

I do feel for the parents that are used to having Veterans day off with their kids and now have to arrange childcare.

Yes, my kiddos are home from school today.

They are sleeping in a bit, and then we will go vote! For the first time, my youngest will be able to vote as well!

Afterward, we will go for a nice lunch, and do some shopping.

All in all a productive and fun day.

Our schools aren't closed today, but the kids get all of Thanksgiving week off. Around here it's referred to as "ski week" because all the wealthy families head up to their ski cabins that week.
If you don't like the system get in there and change it. Everyone who sits on the school board, PTA, city council, etc. have jobs and kids just like you. These decisions are made by people JUST LIKE YOU. So if you want your voice heard then get out there and participate! At least go to the meetings if you don't want to hold a permanent position.

I vote no matter the inconvenience.

My kids did not have school yesterday or today. Yesterday was confrences and today is a teacher work day. I am more than ok with that though because I am a preschool teacher and we follow the school districts schedule. So when my kids are off school, I am also. I know not everyone is that lucky though. But you do get the school calendar in Sept. so you have plenty of time to plan and find a sitter for your kids if you do have to work. In our district we do go to school on Veterans day.

My girls have school today. My designated voting area used to be the local elementary school, which I thought was ridiculous, and it is now a local church. I am going to assume that the church doesn't unduly pressure people to vote any certain way. I vote by mail so I don't know. I'm sure they don't but people might feel iffy about voting in a church. But better a church than a school.

When it was in the school, the children would always be distracted. They would try to talk to the adults who were there to vote or they would refuse to walk to the library because the hallway was full of strange adults. It just didn't work.

As for days off, the 26th is an early dismissal and they have off the 27th and 28th. They have one early dismissal each month and 5 teacher inservice days spread out throughout the months. One day each quarter is off for conferences. They spread things out fairly well so that child care doesn't have to be specially arranged each week.

Where we live the schools are closed for election day and they are using it as a parent-teacher conference day. So, I'm fine with it...killing two birds with one stone.

Here in Texas there are 2 weeks for early voting.. This is so awesome! The voting places are in grocery stores, malls, some city buildings. I wish more people would vote early so that they would not be so stressed on voting days standing in lines.

The reason Voting is done in the different schools here in town is so that every neighborhood has the same voting place each time and it is not costing the city anything to have them there.

Generally there is no problem at the schools. The voting is usually held in the library. Most libraries in our schools, are located close to an outside door. The halls have extra monitors.

Yes school is in session and I like that the kids see the adults voting and I am glad to have the public see the condition of the schools in their neighborhoods.

I encourage you to join the Calendar committee for your school district. You seem to have a very good idea of what you think about the way the school calendar should be. Here in Austin the committee meets every 5 years to plan the 5 year school calendars. This involves the city, the county, the schools, business owners and then citizens and of course parents.

You will hear what the Federal guidelines are as well as the state legislature requires. The city planning commission will be there to talk about all of the city wide events, etc.. And the use of facilities that your school district may require.

They love enthusiastic parents to participate and explain their needs. Sure it is a time commitment and there is no pay, but gosh, it would be nice to have parents with actual experience and some common sense.
When I was PTA President at the elementary level, there was a mom that was very upset about school start dates. She felt like they were too early. She also felt like spring break should be moved to later.. she had lots of opinions and good reasons.. I suggested she join the calendar committee and she did! Boy she really learned that it is not just students and parents that have an interest in the school calendars, but also the city, The electric company (it is very hot hard to cool down schools during 104 degree days).. And when it s a holiday, working parents of young children do need common sense options.

And when your state govt. has mandated a ton of new requirements for teachers and their training and those state testing days along with everything else.. It is a lot of work.This mom said, it was sometimes the less of 3 or 4 evils that they had to choose from.

It is fine to vent, but if you are really upset, do something about it. We would appreciate knowing that a real parent is in there fighting for what we need and want.

We just had a civic election and the middle schools were used as polling stations. Schools were open all day. Most people walk to the polls because the school parking lots are full during the day, and most people have a middle school within walking distance of their homes. I guess with the school shooting and such down there they are worried about the public having access to school while students are there, which is a shame because the schools are public buildings. I don't have to worry about child care when the kids are out of school because I work for the school division, my older son can look after my younger son, and my husband works evenings, so I'm totally covered.

My kids' school is closed. It used to be a polling place, it no longer is, but now they call it an in-service day.

One of the jr. high teachers told her students that it's closed "in case terrorists attack the schools".

I wish they would have the day off. We vote at the elementary schools and I think with so many people coming and going it would be safer to give the kids the day off.

End of grading period.
Parent conferences day/evening. What a LONG day for those teachers!
Schools are polling places.
My hours are pretty flexible so I got to vote, attend the parent conference and spend the day with my kiddo.

Can you find drop off care or a very occasional sitter for these types of days, JB?

My son's school is open and is a polling place. Voting takes place in the cafeteria, the kids eat lunch in the classroom and parent volunteers provide a 'friendly fence' to keep people from wandering out of the voting area. No problems at all.

Full day of school for our district. Our polls aren't located at the schools. Locations are in churches and township halls.

My kid's school is closed but they also made it a parent/teacher conference day. So I guess they make use of it.

USA is one of the only states where election days aren't national holidays.

That said, I am pretty sure my daughter's private school is open, but we are keeping her home to celebrate and talk about the democratic process.

Our schools are not closed today. They do get Monday, 11/10 out (teacher in-service day - I think they are doing grading that day) and Tuesday (Veterans' Day). They go to school Mon - Wed of Thanksgiving week, with a minimum day on Wednesday. So we have 4 non-school days and one minimum day in November. I couldn't imagine trying to arrange/pay for child care with the schedule the schools keep now days.

Our schools are open. There are 2 churches near the school that are polling places so it's a bit of a hassle traffic wise but it's just one day. I can see your frustration though. They should find other places to vote besides the high school. It makes things hard for us working parents.

Only the major elections and only if they see the potential for traffic issues. November 2008 was the first and 2012 the other. I am kicking them to the curb in a few and going to vote myself.

Schools here are open.

We have Veteran's day off then the 21-28 for Thanksgiving.

We vote absentee but I usually drop it off at the polling station anyway. Our polling station is held in a neighbor's garage. I love it!! Makes it feel like such a grassroots community event.

Our schools don't have voting in the building due to kids safety. So they use another building. It's just another day for the kids.

Nope...no school for us. regardless of elections or not, in my town schools are closed for "Professional Development" every first Tuesday of every November my son's been in school. And they can't say it's elections: during other special elections or mid-term elections, the schools are open with voters going in and out of the schools with the kids in school...
.. And i'm with you, along with the all the other holidays, and half days this months it's crazy!!!!