GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Sumner County School Board decided on Tuesday what the December break would be referred to on the district’s calendar. 

After a heated debate between school board members, they voted to retain the term Christmas Break rather than changing it to Winter Break. For more than three decades, it was known as Winter Break until last year, when the board unanimously approved switching it to Christmas Break.

“We voted on it with no public input and no chance to hear from our constituents,” explained Wade Evans, a school board member representing District 4. “I'm sorry, but we did a bad job as a board because we did not represent everyone by getting their feedback.”

It’s been a controversial topic with some school board members suggesting dubbing it Christmas Break aligns with the beliefs of the majority of the county's stakeholders.

"This needs to be called Christmas Break, because that is what it is, and everyone knows that's what it is,” said Steven King, a school board member representing District 5. “It's the reason there is a break in the first place, because of Christmas, not some other holiday. Christmas was the reason everyone was disappearing. Where's everybody? Oh, they left for two, a week and a half to go to their family for Christmas."

Others, however, argue the terminology not inclusive of other faiths.

“When we made this decision, we excluded kids,” Evans said. "That is what I've taken away from the feedback I've got, the conversations I've had, and the research that I've done.”

During the meeting, there was also an attempt to call it Christmas/Winter Break, but that suggestion failed.

The unanimous vote in favor of calling the holiday break Christmas Break will be reflected on the district’s calendar for the 2026-27 school year.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/sumner-co-tn-christmas-winter-break/