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District holds firm with having classes on MLK day

Posted at 10:19 PM, Oct 10, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-10 22:19:14-04

The Collier County School Board denied a last minute request from the NAACP to not have class on January 15th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

"I'm very, very disappointed," said Collier NAACP Chair Vincent Keeys.

2018 will mark 50 years since the civil rights leader was assassinated.

The district is already holding classes on Veterans Day and President's Day, to make up for school days lost during Hurricane Irma.

Keeys suggested a shorter Christmas Break, so students can have off for MLK day.

"We did get a lot of  suggestions and feedback prior to that meeting, about not messing with the major holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas break," said Board Member Kelly Lichter.

The school board just changed the calendar two weeks ago.  

Lichter says she wished people upset about the change had approached the board sooner.
But after Hurricane Irma hit, Keeys' says he was focused helping people.

"We the NAACP, was working very hard and heavy on disaster recovery, after Hurricane Irma hit it was very difficult for us."
 
Lichter says the board wants to work with the NAACP to provide students with a special lesson on civil rights while they are in class on MLK day.

"The day off for a lot of these kids, it's a three day weekend for them, but I wish that weren't the case."

Lee County will not be holding classes on Martin Luther King Jr. Day under a revised calendar released after Hurricane Irma.