Mary Elizabeth Castle says in the time Texas Values has watched the Austin Independent School District (ISD), it has observed a "history of doing a lot of things with left-leaning political ideology."
She says a parent brought to their attention that when the district voted on a calendar for the school year, the Christian commemoration of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, observed next year on April 3, was omitted.
This means that Austin ISD schools will not close on Good Friday this school year, and teachers and students will be expected to attend regular classes.
"What they voted on is for students to get out on a Tuesday earlier that week to celebrate César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Day," Castle reports.
That holiday honors the civil rights and labor leaders who co-founded the United Farm Workers union.
"Both of those holidays probably could be celebrated, but we see that obviously this was placed over students being able to observe Good Friday," the Texas Values government relations director submits.
Her organization has sent a letter asking Austin ISD to reverse its decision not to observe Good Friday.
It points out that grassroots allies and parents in two other large metropolitan school districts in the state have found a way to observe both holidays, which means Austin ISD had the option to accommodate both but chose to place politics above a religious holiday.
Now her team awaits what they hope will be a favorable response – that perhaps the district leaders will have another meeting or another vote on the calendar for the spring semester.
"However … if further steps need to be made, we will make those further steps," Castle asserts.
