Moms Talk Q&A: School Before Labor Day?

Virginia law generally bars schools from opening before Labor Day. But recent  legislation signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell chips away at that prohibition—an issue of intense debate during the General Assembly’s recent session.

In March,  McDonnell signed into law House Bill 1483, which allows a school district to start classes before Labor Day if it is surrounded by another district that already has a waiver to begin school early.

That’s a pretty narrow exception: Republican Delegate William Cleaveland, who proposed the bill, tailored it for the city of Roanoke, which he represents. Even so, the measure triggered heated arguments in the House and in the Senate. While McDonnell’s signature settles the fate of HB 1483 – it will take effect July 1 – the issue is likely to resurface in future legislative session.

While Maryland and DC students often return to the classroom in August, a state law mandates that Virginia schools begin after Labor Day. The law is dubbed the "King's Dominion Rule" because of its strong backing by Virginia's tourism industry, which approves of  the law because it gives families one more week to visit attractions. It also gives tourist attractions one more week before they have to lose student workers.

The idea of opening school before Labor Day is unpopular with many students, but Fairfax County Public Schools regularly for permission to start a week before Labor Day and end a week earlier in June. Do you think the school system should start before Labor Day?

The discussion opens at 1 p.m. 

-Destiny Shelton of the Capital News Service and Reston Patch editor Karen Goff contributed to this report.