No More Columbus Day For West Hartford Students

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Beginning in October 2019, students in West Hartford Public Schools will be off on the second Monday in October in recognition of ‘Indigenous Peoples Day” instead of Columbus Day following a vote of the Board of Education this week, according to multiple reports.

We-Ha.com reports the school board voted 5-2, along party lines with Republicans opposed, to accept the 2019-20 school calendar that included the holiday name change. Controversy has grown over the years for the holiday celebrating Columbus and several residents requested the change at a recent school board meeting.

From there, student representatives to the board Grace Andrews and Maddy Pliskin launched a petition on change.org that garnered 660 signatures in favor of changing the name of the holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day, according to We-Ha.com.

The Hartford Courant reports Board of Education member Mark Zydanowicz didn’t support the change because he didn’t see overwhelming community support for the switch, adding that residents normally have no problem with making their voices heard on town issues.

Read more at We-Ha.com here and the Hartford Courant here.

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