In Virginia, An Interfaith Coalition Fights to Get Non-Christian Holidays on School Calendars

Marie-Rose Scheinerman of The Forward reports that an interfaith task force in Fairfax, Virginia, is lobbying to add non-Christian holidays to the school district’s list of closures. She writes, “Whether it’s exams on Rosh Hashanah, field trips on Diwali, homecoming games and parties on Eid, or mandatory test-prep sessions on Yom Kippur, the calendar was filled with conflicts forcing students to either sacrifice core parts of their school experience or compromise on their religious obligations.” The school board decided on a calendar for the upcoming year that did not add any new holidays, but a compromise calendar is set to be presented later this month. Nearly 100 faith leaders and 300 students have signed letters and petitions requesting that the school board reconsider their choice.

Read at The Forward

© 2011 Religion & Politics