SC pastor asks schools to reconsider Spring Break around Easter | News

ROCK HILL, SC (WBTV) - The Rock Hill School district plans to discuss the possibility of changing the dates for Spring Break.

The discussion comes in response to a letter sent by a Rock Hill church expressing concern that vacations are affecting attendance and participation during Holy Week services.

At Oakland Baptist Church in Rock Hill ministers have noticed a trend.  The pews are less filled around Easter, the holiday at the root of Christian faith.  Attendance and participation are hurting.

"When you have a worship service and have the children's choir sing, you find half of the children have left to go on vacation," says Pastor Shelden Timmerman.

"Why does the schools each year schedule Spring Break between Palm Sunday and Easter, right at the high time of the church year," he wondered.  "It seems to us that they've been following the religious calendar to determine where to set up the vacation time and somehow we don't think that's quite right."

So the church sent a letter to the school board asking it to reconsider how spring break is scheduled.

"Not schedule it at Easter time, but a time that happens every year and if Easter happens hit on that, so be it, we can live with that," Timmerman said.

He understands the request may raise the issue of the separation of church and state.

"If it stays as is, we'll learn to adjust," he said, "We're not going to try to tell the school district how to do anything beyond expressing our concern."

So far the school district hasn't responded.

In an email to WBTV school board chairman Bob Norwood confirmed the Spring Break-Easter issue will be added to the board's next work session agenda so the board can discuss it.

Norwood says the issue will be considered at a future meeting -- and in his words -- hopefully soon.

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