Res 0018-2024

Whereas, The United States (U.S.) owes its creation and continued existence to the brave members of the armed forces who have fought, and sometimes died, for this country; and Whereas, In recognition of their service and sacrifices, U.S. leaders have designated various holidays to celebrate members of the armed forces, past and present; and Whereas, These holidays include Memorial Day, which honors those who have died while in military service; Armed Forces Day, which honors those currently serving in the U.S. military; and Veterans Day, which honors the service of all U.S. veterans; and Whereas, Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day to commemorate the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, which was signed the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918; and Whereas, Armistice Day was first celebrated on November 11, 1919 under the leadership of President Woodrow Wilson; and Whereas, In 1938, November 11th was declared a legal federal holiday known as "Armistice Day" by act of Congress; and Whereas, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, at the urging of major U.S. veterans organizations; and Whereas, According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2022 there were 16.2 million veterans in the U.S.; and Whereas, A 2021 New York State Department of Health survey estimated that approximately 969,000 veterans live in the state, with more than 282,000 of those residing in New York City (NYC); and Whereas, The NYC Department of Education (DOE) typically recognizes and closes schools for all U.S. federal holidays, including Veterans Day; and Whereas, However, DOE's 2023-2024 School Year Calendar does not include a school closure date for Veterans Day, as November 11th falls on Saturday in 2023; and Whereas, Generally, a fixed date federal holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday is usually observed on the closest weekday, so that a holiday falling on a Saturday is observed on the preceding Friday, while a holiday falling on a Sunday is observed on the succeeding Monday; and Whereas, Some parents, teachers, and students have expressed disappointment and anger that NYC public schools will not commemorate the vital contributions of veterans this year by observing Veterans Day; and Whereas, It is crucial for NYC schools to observe Veterans Day to honor the contributions of veterans and enable students to learn about and recognize the service and sacrifices of U.S. military veterans; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Education to observe Veterans Day the Friday before November 11th if it falls on a Saturday and the Monday after the 11th if it falls on a Sunday. Session 13 LS # 14454 10/17/23 JA Session 12 LS # 14454 10/17/23