This past Monday, we had a day off from school -- "Fall Break."  It lands on the same day as the federal holiday Columbus Day.  People go out of town and celebrate the long weekend, there is no mail delivery, and some government buildings are closed.  But, is this a holiday to truly celebrate?

According to: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/national/columbus-day%3A-celebration-or-controversy, Columbus Day is not a holiday to be celebrated.  In fact, it is reported that Christopher Columbus' explorations lead to the killing of 90 million people on his behalf.  These were the people that in lived Central and South American tribes.  Those who were not killed were taken into slavery and shipped to other countries.

Many people in towns and cities across the United States are beginning to speak out against the national celebration of an explorer who ordered the killing and slavery of so many human beings who did nothing to deserve that treatment.  Some people want to end the holiday.  They feel like it is not something to celebrate.

There are other populations that are against this holiday.  The article above discusses how Muslim-Americans do not argee with this holiday because it is a day for Italian-Americans, and there is not a time in America for the Muslim-Americans to observe their culture.

There are others who want to continue the tradition.  For example, the Italian-Americans are proud of their culture, and celebrating this explorer is part of their culture.  Also, many public workers such as mailmen look forward to having the day off to spend with their families.  Students across the country enjoy having a day off after such a busy start to the school year.

At Francis Parker, this holiday is not called Columbus Day.  It is Fall Break.  It happens conveniently at a time when there is a national holiday, but most Parker students do not associate this short vacation with an early explorer.  It is really just a time to have a long weekend and relax in the long time between the beginning of school and Thanksgiving.