Show up to Austin ISD Board meeting on March 26 at 6p.m. and ask for Good Friday to be reinstated. Keep your kids home on April 3, for religious observance of Good Friday!

Many of you who have children in Austin ISD may have received the email from Superintendent Matias Segura stating that schools will still be closed on March 31 despite the recent fallout from allegations that Cesar Chavez has committed abuse. The City of Austin cancelled all events for Cesar Chavez/Dolores Huerta Day on March 31 and Governor Abbott stated that Texas will not observe Cesar Chavez Day. Texas Values sent a press release on Wednesday stating Austin ISD should reinstate Good Friday since Cesar Chavez Day was the nonnegotiable holiday that the school claimed was keeping them from celebrating Good Friday. However, there has been no mention of Austin ISD putting Good Friday back on the calendar. Instead, the staff and student holiday on March 31 is being renamed Dolores Huerta Day. 

In the email, Superintendent Segura said that the Austin ISD school board will vote on changes to the calendar at the March 26 school board meeting. The meeting will be held at the Austin ISD Board Auditorium at 4000 South Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Austin Texas 78704. Please come out and testify that the school board should update the district calendar to include Good Friday. Students and teachers should NOT be required to attend school on April 3 and the words “Good Friday” should be reflected on the calendar. Information on how to register to testify can be found here.

You can also send an email to trustees@austinisd.org.  

While we have published our sympathies for Dolores Huerta and the victims, shifting the focus to her work while ignoring Christianity is a clear political move by the school district. Dolores Huerta’s stances have broadened to contain more Communist ideas and stances outside the original goals of the Farm Workers Movement, including her aggressive support for abortion and gay marriage. Notably, her stances on Communism, abortion, and gay marriage are in opposition to the Christian faith that is being ignored by Austin ISD. Pope John Paul II and many prominent Christian leaders have spoken out against the dangers of communism. While many cities, including cities in California, are postponing their celebration, Austin ISD shows that they care more about political messaging than they do students’ religious freedom. (See this example of Dolores Huerta talking abortion and LGBT rights)

Regardless, your student still has the right to not attend school on April 3 in order to observe Good Friday. Texas Education Code 25.087 allows students to be excused to observe religious holy days. If a teacher tries to mark your student absent, notify them that you were off to observe the religious holy day of Good Friday. For more information, email info@txvalues.org

You can also send an email to trustees@austinisd.org.

We cannot fight these battles without your continued financial support! Please donate TODAY to help us save Good Friday!