The third Monday of every January, federal offices, banks and some schools close to observe the day in honor of Martin Luther King Jr (MLK). The day is to not only honor him but his birthday, his life and his work with Civil Rights.

I feel the Civil Rights movement would not have gotten as far as it did if it were not King’s involvement. He was the leader of the movement; he shined a light on the unfair treatment of minorities and made a great push for change.

James Earl Ray assassinated King April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.  

The day was somber for all those active in the Civil Rights Movement who had great faith in King to help bring a change to society.

I feel schools should fully observe this day along with many other pivotal moments in history.  

At the high school, we have had at least the last eight MLK days off in observance. If a school is going to be open on this day there should be talk of King and discussion of what all he did for this country and how his legacy can be continued. The more it is talked about the harder it is to forget.

Other pivotal moments in history should also be observed or discussed more in schools; such as the attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, and the attack on the World Trade Center Sept. 11, 2001.

When the days arrive, not much is talked about at school. All teachers should incorporate these days into their lesson plans. I feel, currently, these two days are only discussed in history classes and by the few other teachers who feel it is an important topic of discussion.

History does not deserve to be forgotten, so schools should incorporate these dates more when they arrive.