Religious equality for all students

As a parent of two children in the district I support this call to action to change the first day of school. In knowing the importance of this holiday for the Jewish Community and failing to do what other districts have already done shows a callous disregard for students and families of this faith. Please make the change.

Religious equality for all students should be upheld

This should not even be an issue. Would we start on Dec 25? No.

I am a PhD candidate in literacy and human rights. My major focus is the intersection of religion and education. So much jas happened that have put religious minorities on edge in MN. Please show our children that they are welcome at their school by accommodating their diverse religious practices

I have dealt with similar insensitivity in scheduling far too often. It's not as if Rosh Hashanah is not on secular calendars.....

Relying on the federal calendar means recognizing the Christian holidays but not any others. Rosh Hashanah is as major a holiday to Jews as Christmas is to Christmas, You would not start a semester on Christmas, would you?

Change it this year and also understand WHY you are changing it so that in years from now when it happens to fall on that date again, your future board members, superintendents, and families will understand at the onset why it it wrong.

Thank you for doing this. Has anyone looked at the Minneapolis Public Schools calendar for 2021-22? We may need a petition there too, because the MPS calendar also has Tuesday September 7th as the start date, even though they previously said they would push it back by one day.

My daughter attends school in the Eden Prairie district and we will be facing the same predicament. Please don't make us choose between the first day of school an celebrating an important holiday. This is especially bothersome, because the first day of school is when younger students get to meet their new classmates and start forming bonds with one another. I don't want my child to miss out on this opportunity.

How many of the folks pushing back against this decision get several days off to celebrate Christmas, but can't be bothered to TRY accommodating other faiths' central holidays? Leaning on a federal holiday list centered around a dominant faith is a poor excuse for overlooking the needs of students. Do better.

In the 80s and 90s when I grew up in EP there were few Jews who lived in our community. But that has changed and times have changed. Please listen to these Jewish students and supporters and show you welcome all at EPHS by making this change.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Please respect all of your students.

Do you think it’s right to start school on a very special day for the jewish community? Is this something to stir controversy? Have God in your heart and start school in a day that’s not an important religious day.

Please move this start date out of observation and respect for the holy holiday for the Jewish community.

Students should not have to choose between their religious beliefs and school starting. This needs to be changed.

Please change the first day of school so that our Jewish friends can celebrate their important holy day. Being able to celebrate a religious holiday is so important and demonstrates our commitment to respect and treating our community members with kindness.

I am an EPHS graduate. I know work in a school that has a high population of Jewish students. I couldn’t imagine asking students to choose between observing Rosh Hashanah and attending the first day of school.

<3

Just seems the right thing to do.