BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. — The public school calendar and church calendar have collided as it were, and a decision to make-up a Baldwin County public schools’ “snow day” on Good Friday will negatively impact religious observances according to some religious leaders.

The Baldwin County School Board has decided to use April 2 — “Good Friday,” the Friday before Easter Sunday, a day observed in commemoration with the crucifixion of Jesus — as the make-up day for a rare February “snow day” when schools were closed.

School Board spokesman Terry Wilhite said in a e-mail Monday afternoon that the only two holidays left on the school calendar to make-up the “snow day” are Good Friday and Memorial Day (May 31), days that encompass all School Board employees with the exception of Spring Break. Twelve-month employees get only Thursday and Friday off during Spring Break week, he said.

Sometimes 12-month employees don’t get the holidays that teachers do, Wilhite said.

“We have a high number of families who leave during Spring Break for vacation. To end the school year on time, April 2 was the date chosen,” Wilhite said in the e-mail.

“We always receive protests no matter where on the calendar a make-up day falls. A decision has to be made based upon the best options possible. There is no such thing as a popular make-up day.

“The bottom line is — there is no good time to make up a school day” for everybody involved.

Asked if the school system could lose money from the state should hundreds or thousands of public school students decide not to show up at school for the Good Friday make-up day, Wilhite said the school system would feel “no large monetary impact for one day.”

Asked if the School Board’s decision could result in a backlash from the religious community, School Board member Norm Moore, who represents the Foley area, said “religious community” entails a lot of people. Personally, Moore said the Good Friday make-up day would more likely draw the ire of School Board employees moreso than the religious community.

“There is no sinister plot or anything,” Moore said of choosing Good Friday for the make-up day.

“I am a Christian. I look at it objectively,” Moore said, noting he is a Baptist.

Moore said Good Friday is typically a potential make-up day each year for county public schools. In that regard, he said a lot of things become tradition over time. He cited Fat Tuesday during Mardi Gras season as a case in point. Fat Tuesday was typically a day off for school children, then somebody decided it should be two days out of school for Mardi Gras.

“Everybody assumes that it is written in stone,” Moore said, noting it’s not, and that local public schools will be going back to one day out of school for Mardi Gras.

The 180-day mandated schedule for public school students statewide has resulted in tighter calendars for school districts, Moore said, and less flexibility.

“This is a little of the flexibility we have,” he said of using Good Friday as a make-up day.

He noted, however, that Baptists might not take using Good Friday as a make-up day as seriously as other religious groups might.

The Rev. James Dane, pastor of St. Thomas-by-the-Sea Catholic Church in Orange Beach, said Good Friday services at his church will be held at 3 p.m., so school on that day would “make some impact” on the service.

“I would prefer if they didn’t,” he said of the School Board using Good Friday as a make-up day for students.

“They (School Board) have to make the best decision they can I guess,” he added.

Dane said when he was in school they had to be in class on Memorial Day.

The Rev. Paul Zoghby, pastor of St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Catholic Church in Foley, said the School Board’s decision will not help his church’s Good Friday observance.

“We use our young people to serve at our evening service, so we have a practice that day,” he said, noting that Good Friday services are the most well-attended of Holy Week at St. Margaret.

He also pointed out that St. Margaret has a number of teachers who attend the church besides students. School in session on Good Friday will make it more difficult for church members to make the Good Friday service, Zoghby said.