School Day Prompts Memorial Day Protest

CROSBY, Texas -- Some Houston-area veterans protested a decision by the Crosby Independent School District to have classes on Memorial Day.

About 100 veterans, family members and their friends waved small American flags Monday morning in front of Crosby High School, 14703 Farm-to-Market Road 2100, in Crosby in northeast Harris County.

"I don't think that they should be honoring veterans all day long, but I think that they should have the day off, and that they should learn why they have the day off," Veterans of Foreign Wars member Tom Devlin said.

"This is the day that we should be honoring those families and loved ones that as military veterans (have) died for our country," Vietnam veteran Joe Anselmo said. "And we should be memorializing this day for them. We shouldn't be going to school, and we should be teaching our children this."

Crosby school officials said that they meant no disrespect to those who have served to protect the United States.

Crosby ISD Superintendent Don Hendrix said that in the future they hope to make Memorial Day a holiday for the school district, and instead students will have classes on Presidents Day.

The Denton Independent School District near Dallas also held classes on Monday. School officials said that the students needed to have class to study for final exams.