NJ schools allow for pagan religious holidays

[BookstoreEscapee]

I think this would be like what is being allowed for Pagan holidays in NJ. My only concern is some students will claim to be Muslim / Christian / Jewish / Pagan just go get all the days off - and if they're refused they can claim that's a breach of their freedom of religion.

You're correct. They're not going to close school, but the students taking off for the holiday will not have to count it towards their "excused" absences (so then they don't end up going to school sick or something because they used up their absences on their religious holidays).

As for your second part, you'd have to have a note from your parent/guardian, and unless you're a really crappy parent, you're not likely to let your kids get away with that.

[Pagan]

Hey gang - long time, no see

Long time no....type?!

Considering I actually know quite a few pagans from back home, I'm not too surprised. We already get Christian and Jewish holidays. Why not other religions?

You got Jewish holidays?

Makes you wonder how many other groups fighting for equality have a harder fight because of similar attitudes.

Reminds me of this:

They cam firstfor the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up

Elsporko, I don't think they wanted the schools to close down for Pagan holidays. I think they want to be able to pull their kids out in order to celebrate the holiday and have it recognized as a religious observance, rather than just some excused absence.

That's what I was going to say.

It has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with how many students will be in school. There has a to be a certain percantage of students present for a school day to count, otherwise it is considered a snow day. If a school is 90% Christian and takes off Christian holidays then it makes no sense to be in school that day, just like if a school were to be 90% Pagan it makes no day for them to be in session on a day that Pagans will not be present.

Again, they're not talking about shutting down the whole school for a handful of kids. Just that if the parents do take them out, they'll have an excused absence.

Like when I was in junior high. I got an excused absence when my parents took me out of school to go out to WSMR to see the Columbia. It wasn't something that most of the students were going to be gone, but only a handful of us.

[fumblebee]

Our schools are closed for Good Friday and elementary and secondary schools are closed for "Easter Monday" in University, we still had Good Friday, but we still had classes Easter Monday. Once I was in University, the school closed for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and the First day of Passover. Any student of any other religion was granted an excused absence for their Holy days but the school continued.

[Ladeeda]

Now, what I want is the option to GO to school on holidays I don't celebrate.

Thanksgiving, President's Day, the OMG We're A State Now day, etc.

[AdminAssistant]

Now, what I want is the option to GO to school on holidays I don't celebrate.

The problem with having that option is that it requires for both teachers and staff to be there, regardless of whether they celebrate that holiday or not. Since the majority of people do celebrate Thanksgiving, it makes sense to simply close campus for that day (or several days, as it usually happens). Fewer people celebrate Rosh Hashannah, so it makes sense to keep campus open, but allow all of those who celebrate that day to miss school without ramifications.

[Hobbs]

Since the majority of people do celebrate Thanksgiving...

Even if you don't celebrate it, it's a national holiday. You don't have to do anything for it.

[AdminAssistant]

Even if you don't celebrate it, it's a national holiday. You don't have to do anything for it.

That wasn't the best example. I was just pointing out that when the vast majority of people celebrate a holiday, then it makes sense for a school or business to close its doors.