Residents rally over decision to take Veterans Day, Columbus Day off Stamford's school holiday calendar

A community in Stamford is left wanting more answers after a rally at the Stamford’s Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night.

The reaction was in response to the board's decision to eliminate Veterans Day and Columbus Day from the school holiday calendar.

"Your holiday has been chosen to be demoted. It only divided our community, at the end of the meeting, what I saw was a community coming together to rally around what is truly right," says veteran Thomas Finn.

Board member Dr. Rebecca Hamman was among the members who voted against the elimination.

"We need to embed the curriculum with Columbus Day as well as Veterans Day and really look at the history behind it,” says Hamman.

They said the education part goes hand in hand, and the holiday off from school is just as crucial.

"When you come home for the holidays or there's a day off, you want to spend time with your family. Whether it's going shopping, barbecue, entertainment," says veteran Thomas Patterson.

"Just spend the time with family," says Finn.

Veterans like Patterson and Finn are hopeful a discussion of reconsideration will happen.

News 12 reached out to the school district for comment but has not heard back.