Why do schools get 6 weeks off in the summer?

Question

What is the tradition/history behind having such a long holiday throughout the summer? Why are the holidays not evenly spread out?

Answer 1

all schools rules and holidays are not the same some schools get 3 months off in the summer is all about goverment and paying the teachers salary and the board of Education  when school closing

Answer 2

Well in other countries it's because it gets too hot to work... maybe we just copied them?

Answer 3

As an agrarian society (farming) children were needed to work the farm, especially during the harvest season.  Parents would withdraw their children from school, as "book learnin' " was an unessential luxury.  Education was rarely continued beyond grade school, at most Jr. High, thus the promotion exercises for achieving that grade accomplishment.  

Holidays are not evenly distributed because they commemorate specific events such as birthdays, and some persons of notoriety had the audacity to be born without regard for our holiday calendar.

Answer 4

The kids were needed to help on the farm in the summer.

Answer 5

because its hot.

i have 10 weeks off in the summer because my school has no air conditioning.

Answer 6

Because the weather is best in summer, When I was at school (I'm 35 do the math yourself) kids would play outside all summer long, they didnt have computer games or much for kids on TV in the 70's.