Although school begins Sept. 7 for Montevideo students, 25 other school districts in southwestern Minnesota have been back in session since last week.
Classes do not normally begin in Minnesota until after Labor Day, due in large part to the entreaties of the state’s tourism industry which employs large numbers of high school students and wants to keep them through the Labor Day weekend. This works to the advantage of the students, as well, allowing them to keep their summer jobs through the end-of-summer holiday.
And, of course, families are able to take advantage of the three-day weekend and travel on one last summer getaway.
But this year 16,000 Minnesota students are already back in school because they applied to the state for permission to begin two weeks early. Apparently the after-Labor Day start is not 100 percent sacrosanct, nor should it be in our opinion.
Why, we wonder, is it all right to call athletes back early to begin practicing for the fall season, and even schedule games, meets and matches before Labor Day if school districts have to wait until after Labor Day to begin classes? Of course, the answer is that the athletes need the time to prepare and get in shape for the coming season.
But if student athletes throughout Minnesota can begin their season before Labor Day, it makes absolutely no sense to us that the rest of the students cannot do the same without special dispensation from the state. But money talks, and the tourism industry has the ears of some influential people in St. Paul.
Governor candidate Tom Horner of the Independence Party has suggested that instead of starting school early, districts should send teachers in early before Labor Day. Horner has suggested moving all teacher in-service days possible to that time period rather than spreading them out through the school year, which will free up more days for classroom instruction between September and June.
His idea has some merit, but we are not convinced it is the best answer. Extending the school year into June is an option that many states have adopted. Perhaps Minnesota should do likewise.
School districts need to be able to plan the calendar for their school year to best serve the needs of the community and, more especially, the students. A one-size-fits-all approach such as the after-Labor Day opening restriction does not best serve the needs of all Minnesota students and school districts.
Schools are beset with enough mandates handed down from on high. School boards should have the power to determine when to begin the school year.
