[masraum]

Originally Posted by mikester

My oldest started school last year and both years when the school board was working on their yearly schedule the small group of Jews in the community went to the board meeting to try to get the children days off for the high holy days. A very important time of the year for folks like us and both times we have been denied our request. The schedule would not take into account our meager request of a two days off for this year. I think it was 1 last year. The problem last year was that it was the FIRST day of school all we wanted was for them to push a day - not a big deal. They even said it wasn't a big deal but in the end they wouldn't do it and wouldn't explain why. This year instead of giving us our couple of days they decided the kids should have Halloween and Valentine's day off. YAY!

Wow, Halloween and Valentines? Really? Those were never holidays when I was growing up. And yet they wouldn't do the 2 Jewish holidays.

The ONLY semi-justifiable reason that I can come up with for NOT scheduling the Jewish holidays is that it would set a precedent for other religions to request days off, and isn't the school supposed to be "separate" from religion? No prayer in school and all that. Are any other religious holidays still observed? I believe Christmas is now often called "Winter break", and I don't think most places get "Good Friday" or "Easter" holidays any more. So technically you were asking for something that no one (religious groups) else gets which if you'd gotten it would allow (and apply pressure to the board to give) EVERY OTHER religious group to ask for days off. If every Hindu, Muslim, Christion, Buddhist, Jewish, Kwanza, etc... holiday was observed, kids would have to go to school year round.

Now why can't my kid just take the day off for these religious holidays? Well they can (And did) but then the district loses money because the kids are absent and they ask the parents to reimburse the school for that lost money. $35 a day...

Wow, really, the school asks parent to pay $35 every time a kid misses school? that's absolutely bizarre!