High school senior urges lawmakers to make Veterans Day a statewide school holiday

A student testified before the Senate Education Committee urging lawmakers to amend H931 to make Veterans Day a statewide school holiday beginning in the 2027–28 school year.

"Every year on Veterans Day there are so many events here in Vermont that most students cannot attend because we are in school," said Jacob Law, a senior at Essex High School and a former legislative page. Law said the change would align Vermont with neighboring states and give students opportunities to honor veterans in their communities.

Law recounted that his mother served in the Vermont Air National Guard and said personal experience persuaded him the day matters: "This is important to me because my mom served in the Vermont Air National Guard for over two decades."

Senators pressed Law on logistics, noting the fixed number of state holidays and asking which existing holiday would be traded or how districts might adjust calendars. Law suggested shortening Thanksgiving break or adding compensatory summer days; senators also discussed alternatives such as requiring in-school observances or a half-day of local recognition.

Committee members said the topic raises calendar-wide trade-offs and that further testimony and district-level consultation would be needed. One senator noted the legislative calendar left little time for additional hearings this session.

Next steps: Lawmakers said they would consider the student's suggestion but did not commit to action; senators encouraged him to continue outreach to his legislators and noted the miscellaneous-bill vehicle can be used for calendar changes.