The decision to remove Christopher Columbus Day and Veterans Day from the school calendar is sparking an intense debate in Stamford, Connecticut this week. In a 5 to 3 decision, the local Board of Education voted to remove the days as holidays. Now, residents are protesting the decision--asking that both holidays be restored as days off for both students and staff.

The holidays, which are currently days off from school in Stamford, will now be in-school days moving forward. According to the Stamford Advocate, last school year, there was a proposal to do the same, but push-back from the community didn't allow the change. In a two-hour-long board meeting, member Joshua Esses brought the motion to take the holidays off the calendar for the next two school years.