School calendar set for 2009–2010
After listening to the views of residents at the April 27 School Committee meeting, the committee voted to pass the proposed school calendar for the 2009–2010 school year. The committee members had invited parents and students to speak at the meeting to address the committee’s decision to not schedule classes on the Jewish high holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and the Christian holiday Good Friday.
Bromfield students Rachel Leicher and Caren Hoffman asked the committee to recognize the traditions of the Jewish high holy days and not schedule classes. Hoffman added, “I pray, and spend the holidays with my family.”
School Committee member Keith Cheveralls argued that there is a separation of church and state and asked the committee to consider the views of a resident who e-mailed him and wanted to know “When does it stop? Harvard is a multicultural community with different spiritual beliefs.”
Committee members expressed their wish to promote tolerance in the community and voted 3 to 2 to adopt the proposed school calendar, which has no classes scheduled on Yom Kippur and Good Friday, with Chairman Stu Sklar and members Virginia Justicz and Willie Wickman voting in favor, and Pat Wenger and Keith Cheveralls voting against. (Rosh Hashanah does not fall on a school day in September.)
The approved school schedule sets Sept. 2 as the first day of school, with the tentative last day of school scheduled for June 17.
