To the Editor: 

As the Hopkinton Public Schools considers adding more religious holidays to the academic calendar, I encourage the School Committee and administrators to take a broader and more thoughtful approach. While recognizing religious diversity is important, extending an already long school year is not the most effective or inclusive way to support all students and families. 

Our school calendar already leaves students with a relatively short summer. Additional days off only make that break shorter and introduce more disruptions into an already packed academic year. Working families must juggle shifting schedules and childcare, which can disrupt the consistency of students’ learning. These impacts should not be overlooked. 

In addition, we need to consider the growing issue of extreme heat at the end of June. Every year, students are sitting in classrooms during the hottest weeks, often in buildings without adequate air conditioning. There have been multiple instances of early dismissals due to unsafe indoor temperatures. These conditions are not just uncomfortable; they are not conducive to learning and may even pose health risks. Extending the school year into the summer exacerbates this problem and diminishes the effectiveness of the instruction being delivered. 

Rather than adding more days off, the district should focus on updating and improving its attendance policy. The current policy is too narrow in scope, recognizing only a limited set of religious holidays and allowing excused absences only for chronic illness. This does not reflect the needs of our diverse community. 

A revised and more inclusive attendance policy should: 

• Recognize all religious observances as valid reasons for excused absences.
• Accept short-term illness documented by a physician as excused, not just chronic conditions. 
• Move away from a punitive framework that adds stress to families navigating legitimate challenges.

Additionally, the district should implement a formal policy preventing the scheduling of tests, exams, or major projects on religious holidays. Each school year, a calendar of major religious observances should be distributed to all educators, particularly at the middle and high school levels. This approach would ensure students are not penalized for practicing their faith and would foster a more respectful and inclusive academic environment. 

True inclusion is not achieved by extending the school calendar. It is achieved through fair, thoughtful policies that support academic success, family balance, and student well-being. 

Ashley Fogg
Hopkinton

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LTE: The views expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of HopNews. Letters may be edited for clarity, grammar, and length.

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