Sun Nin Fai de Mayo

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Sun Nin Fai de Mayo

May 8th 2007 at 5:03 PM

My local public school takes Cinco De Mayo as a holiday. The demographic of the population is over 80% White and Asian. And we're not in Mexico. Discuss.

Comments

halophoenix on May 9th 2007 at 1:40 AM

Cheap excuse for a day off? :D

dblume on May 9th 2007 at 5:08 PM

Well, that's what it is for the kids. (But not for the parents who have to work that day, like most other Americans.)

pastilla on May 9th 2007 at 2:13 AM

One is left with the vague feeling that Sacramento feels it must offer some sort of "Spanish" [sic] holiday . . .

davidd on May 9th 2007 at 4:02 AM

Boys' Day, for the Asians, maybe?

dblume on May 9th 2007 at 5:17 PM

Is Kodomo no Hi a public school holiday in Hawaii? That's more understandable than Cinco De Mayo in Milpitas. At least Boy's Day celebrates the children. Cinco De Mayo has little to do with what now comprises Milpitas.

dblume on May 9th 2007 at 5:10 PM

What Sacramento? It's not involved. It's the one lonely public school district. Everybody else has to work, including the parents of the children, unless said parents are actually employees of that particular school district. The "holiday" was a pain in the @ss.

pastilla on May 9th 2007 at 8:46 PM

I believe Sacramento is at the root of the problem . . .You see, 6 years ago Sacramento ordained from on high that the California state year would be one day shorter, offering state employees one flex day and one "culturally oriented" holiday [quietly replacing EasterMonday or Good Friday]. This meant that all schools in California had to reduce their school year by one day. Cesar Chavez was the "suggested" day . . . considered the most politically correct . . . (I became aware of it because this one extra day screwed up the CSU human resource departments for over two years . . . the paperwork nightmare it caused as departments scrambled to adjust schedules, benefits, personal holidays, sick days, paid leave, etc. was unreal . . .). I agree with you, your district's policy of celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the United States is totally ridiculous. Not unlike the local Lutheran church which has a St. Patrick's day party for the kids . . .

tpederson on May 9th 2007 at 3:54 PM

How do you explain that one to the kids? Well, it's about a foreign country celebrating a victory in battle over another foreign country.

dblume on May 9th 2007 at 5:23 PM

Yeah, but sadly, the wikipedia takes the some of the piss out of my rant. It rightfully points out that Americans also celebrate Chinese New Years, Oktoberfest, and St. Patrick's Day.

tpederson on May 9th 2007 at 5:27 PM

Good point, although none of those are typically school holidays, are they?

dblume on May 9th 2007 at 5:34 PM

Yep. The burden is the fact that nobody else gets the time off.

davidd on May 10th 2007 at 3:27 AM

In Hawaii we get Kamehameha Day and Admission Day off... but at least it's a uniformly recognized holiday throughout the state. I understand that a few other states recognize their admission to statehood days also. So, yeah, the victory of one country in a war against another is just as valid as the birthday of the first king of a republic that no longer exists, I suppose. Oktoberfest as a holiday? Now that's a seriously excellent idea!

dblume on May 8th 2007 at 5:03 PM

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