Wakefield Sets First Day Of School; Recognizes Columbus, Indigenous Peoples Day

WAKEFIELD, MA — The first day of school will be Wednesday, Sept. 7, and a month later the calendar will acknowledge both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day.

The School Committee voted Tuesday night to approve the changes to the calendar.

The start date was in question due to state primary elections being scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 6. Starting school that day was deemed logistically tough due to town voting taking place at the Galvin Middle School.

"If any of us have dropped off at the Galvin, it's bad enough on a normal day to drop off your kids at the Galvin," School Committee Chair Susan Veilleux said. "It's bad on the first day, because there's a whole lot of parents who've never done it before. And now you're going to add voters. "

The vote also decided Oct. 10 will be both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day, a compromise some in other communities have found problematic.

Columbus's standing as a historical figure in America has taken a beating as details about his brutal treatment of Indigenous people replace his perceived status as brave founder of America, with school districts across Massachusetts and the country dropping Columbus Day from the calendar.