SHERBURNE – Since when and why did Good Friday become ‘Spring Friday’ on the Sherburne Earlville Central School District’s calendar?

Those were the questions Smyrna resident John W. Cook Jr., a taxpayer in the district, posed before the S-E Board of Education Monday evening.

Superintendent Gayle Hellert responded that the Delaware, Chenango, Madison, Otsego BOCES regional education agency, of which S-E is one of 16 districts, creates the calendar every year. She said BOCES had printed ‘Spring Friday’ on their calendars for the past couple of years.

“And you are all OK with the naming of Christian holidays by BOCES?” Cook asked.

Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Black Friday, Great Friday, is a holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The holiday is observed during Holy Week on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and often coincides with the Jewish observance of Passover. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Easter Sunday, and Passover are all represented on the BOCES calendar.

After a brief discussion between board members, Hellert and Board President Doug Shattuck said they would bring Cook’s concern before the DCMO BOCES committee that determines the calendar as well as to the board’s executive committee for review.

“Certainly, if it’s a concern, we can circulate it through,” said Shattuck.

Following the exchange, Cook said, “The sad thing is there was nobody there who questioned it.”