Families, schools debate MLK Day schedule

Most government offices, banks, and school districts are closed in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, but some students in the Iowa City area still had to attend classes. The Clear Creek Amana school district designated it as a snow makeup day, and some families are not happy about it. “My daughter will not be here on Monday. We will be going to activities downtown that advocate for equality and diversity and teach about Dr. King’s dream,” parent Angela Minear said, according to KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids.

Why did the district pick MLK Day to make up missed school time? Officials said they asked for public input before voting on the school calendar and received no objections. Parent Sean Keller said he and many others did not know MLK Day might be used as a snow makeup day or that they had a chance to weigh-in. The district agreed to excuse students who miss school Monday to celebrate the holiday.

Dig deeper: Listen to part of King’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech on Monday’s episode of The World and Everything in It. Also not taking the day off: Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning heavily in early primary state South Carolina, linking arms at an MLK Day event at Zion Baptist Church in Columbia.