Schools Remaining Closed During Veterans Day Angers Monmouth County Vet

Several districts are choosing to remain open on Veterans Day, much to the ire of a Korean War vet from Monmouth County.

John Conti, US Army veteran and Commander of the VFW Post 4303 in Hazlet, went before the school districts in Hazlet, Holmdel, and other Bayshore communities to petition them to cancel classes on Veterans Day.

Conti fears the holiday cannot become a meaningless holiday, especially since children today are more likely than ever to personally know a member of the military.

“You see the way our veterans are coming back mangled with no legs and no arms, doing what they did for this country, and for us not to give them one day of respect for these people—it’s a disgrace.”

Veterans Day is a federal holiday, however districts aren’t required to cancel classes for it.

Conti said, what’s worse, some districts are off the Monday before Veterans Day. He said it’s to prevent classes from being disrupted, but noted in Holmdel, classes are canceled for other holidays like Chinese New Year and Rosh Hashanah.

“How do you close schools on these days and shuffle Veterans Day on a Monday? Evidently it’s for a three day weekend. Giving them off on a Monday, all they know is they have a day off.”

While some argue that having children in school for Veterans Day can help teachers incorporate the day into their lesson plan, Conti said children miss an opportunity to participate in local memorials within their community.

“So children should be able to go to these services in every town on Veterans Day, not to be locked up in a school on Veterans Day.”