Veterans Day is a federal holiday that closes “most public schools” according to the AP News article, Why the US celebrates Veterans Day and how the holiday has changed over time.
“Because it’s a federal holiday, the U.S. Postal Service doesn’t deliver the mail on Veterans Day. Federal courts and other government offices are closed as well. Most banks in the U.S. take the day off, as do many public schools,” according to AP News.
Iowa State, a public university, does not take the day off from classes. Some students disagree with this.
Izzie Livingston, a freshman in elementary education, said she doesn’t think there should be class on Veterans Day.
“I feel like we don’t have class normally on other important days, but for some reason, we still do on Veterans Day,” Livingston said. “How is Veterans Day different from any other day we celebrate our country?”
Livingston mentioned that she doesn’t have any connections with Veterans.
“I don’t have any connections to any veterans, but I’m sure people who do with grandparents, or even parents, they would probably [think it’s] maybe a little disrespectful,” Livingston said.
Haley Auen, an open-option freshman, also thinks students should have the day off.
“I feel like we should have the day off to kind of like, remember [veterans], and because my grandpa and my uncle are both veterans, so I feel like it would just be nice to have that day for them,” Auen said.
Auen said she is from West Des Moines and also had class on Veterans Day in high school.
“I don’t mind having class,” Auen said. “I wish we would do something to help people remember them.”
Auen said that she doesn’t feel like the university has anything to remember veterans by.
“They could at least send an email and have a little something for them on like central campus or something like an event,” Auen said.
Gabby Lauwagie, a freshman in kinesiology, also agreed that we shouldn’t have class on Veterans Day.
“I think, as a country as a whole, we need to have certain days off. Like, if we have presidential days off, we should be able to honor the people who served for our country and have the day off for them,” Lauwagie said.
Lauwagie said she is from Minnesota and explained that in her high school, they also had class on Veterans Day.
“They go through a lot to serve our country, and we can’t even acknowledge that they did that,” Lauwagie said.
To honor ISU veterans who died while serving in the military, the Memorial Union is holding the Gold Star Hall Ceremony at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday in Durham Great Hall inside the Memorial Union.