There may be a lot of reasons to ensure the date for school opening in Pennsylvania is after Labor Day, but I'm very sure that the reason for it shouldn't be that amusement parks need cheap labor.
Most school boards, for now, prefer a pre-Labor Day start, which gives schools greater flexibility to make up any time lost to snow days or other reasons. Public schools must provide 180 days of instruction by June 30, so the school boards association and the Pennsylvania State Education Association -- the state's largest teachers' union -- oppose a mandate.
The House's education and tourism committees, however, have endorsed legislation requiring school to start after Labor Day, saying a mandate would help Pennsylvania's economy.
A study released in September by a bipartisan legislative panel found that starting school after Labor Day statewide would add $378 million annually to the state's economy, including $164 million in direct travel and tourism spending.
Amusement parks are a big attraction, for example, and they rely on teen labor.
Kennywood Park's parent company employs about 3,000 high school and college students at its three parks in western Pennsylvania.
Hersheypark is another large employer of young people and a big tourist attraction.
First of all, I hate these state vapor factoids of how much a policy change may increase or decrease the economy, particularly when it is dependent on so much policy from other states (hint to PA: if schools in states surrounding Pennsylvania start in August, then those kids won't be part of this perceived tourism push). Of course, if these are Pennsylvanians spending this money, then I'm confused how this really adds to the state's economy. The money was already here. It adds to the tourism economy. But it may be removing from a different economy.
Secondly, what about the costs (as opposed to the revenues) of kids being home for summer? Ask many employers, and one of the reasons that less gets done in summer is because parents have to be home more for their kids, who aren't in school. Was that included in their factoring? I have no clue what that cost is, but I know it has to be a real cost.
I will admit, I'm not the biggest fan of school starting before Labor Day in our district, but I do believe that the school board is making that decision based on the needs of the educational community - kids and teachers - that improve the bottom line of educating for our kids. I do not trust the tourism industry, or the Tourism committee, to do the same, and I don't want education policy driven by tourism needs unless they can prove a greater good beyond invented dollar totals.