Senator wants winter break called 'Christmas break'
Sen. Stephen Wise proposing legislation to rename winter break
A state senator from Jacksonville wants to rename winter break Christmas break, but not everyone agrees with his plan.
Stephen Wise, who chairs the K-12 Committee in the Florida Senate, said Tuesday it bothers him when teachers call it winter break when they dismiss their students in December.
"The school system people come in and say winter break, and I say, 'Is that Christmas?' 'Yes.' I say, 'Why isn't it Christmas break?' And they say, 'Well, we want to be politically correct,'" said Wise. "And, I said, 'Well, jeez, it's always been Christmas break.'"
The 11-line Senate Bill 1136 reads, "Each school district shall refer to the period during which school is not in session and which includes Christmas Day as Christmas Break."
If passed, the law would apply to all school districts in Florida and would become effective July 1.
Wise said the end-of-year break is unofficially called the Christmas break now.
"I decided we need to hold with tradition," said Wise.
Not everyone is agrees with the senator's idea.
"A lot of people wouldn't be happy because it's a religious thing. I'm thinking more of an objective point of view. A lot of people wouldn't like it," said Florida resident Alejandra Fuentes.
"I think it should be just called winter break. Christmas will cause friction among different religions," said resident Alissa Reed.
Other don't see the issue.
"I don't think that's offensive or whatever people are trying to make it out to be," said Dmitri Atrash.
Wise is unsure if he will be able to find the votes to make the name change official.
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