Newspapers / The Charlotte Jewish News … / Oct. 1, 1998, edition 1 / Page 4
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The Charlotte Jewish News - October 1998 - Page 4 Of GfeEATER CHARLCnTE Federation News 3iia Of GteAiiER OiARLonriB CMS, School Board Approves Religl on in Schools Policy By Amy Krakovitz Montoni In response to the community’s concern with how religion is rep resented in our public schools, a committee consisting of leaders in our religious and educational community, including Temple Beth El’s Rabbi Jim Bennett, Reverend Tim Moore, and Chariotte-Mecklenburg School’s Ellen Edmonds, created a policy for Religion in the Schools. This policy was presented to the CMS School Board and was approved on August 11, 1998. The policy itself consists of 16 points (see sidebar; which are directed to school personnel: prin cipals, teachers, and staff. CMS plans to instruct personnel on the policy; not just on religious issues, but on tolerance as a whole. It will be the responsibility of principals to enforce the policy in each of their schools, and to continue with training teachers and staff in reli gious and cultural tolerance throughout the year. The School Issues Subcommit tee of the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Committee convened a meeting on August 25, 1998 where the policy was pre sented to the community. Members of the CMS committee that created the policy, Rabbi Bennett, Rev. Moore and Ms. Edmonds, were available to answer questions regarding the creation of the policy and their hopes for implementing it. Rabbi Bennett mentioned that he had two concerns that needed to be met in the formulation of this policy: 1) How to protect the inter ests of the minority, specifically Jewish, students, and 2) How to maintain a commitment to the democratic process, that all voices must be heard. It became obvious to him that they were successful in their endeavors when the School Board voted on the policy: both conservatives and liberals who voted in favor of the policy were “thrilled” with it. Edmonds, the CMS representa tive, said that they were very care ful to follow existing case law when writing this policy. One example she gave was the issue of the Christmas tree. According to the Supreme Court, Christmas trees are secular, not religious, symbols, and could therefore not be prohibited by this or any other policy. On the other hand. Reverend Moore agreed with the vast major ity at the meeting that Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and Easter bun nies were inappropriate teaching tools. For him, however, it diluted what he felt was the true meaning of the Christian holidays. While CMS plans to instruct staff on the policy, much of the responsibility of enforcing the policy lies with the parents. “What we experience as a community stems from ignorance,” said Edmonds, “not from prejudice.” Educating our children’s teachers CAROLINA MARKING DEVICES, INC. P.O. BOX 32143 3405 S. TRYON STREET CHARLOTTE, NO 28232-2143 TEL. (704) 525-7600 FAX (800) 777-8619 Rubber Stamps Notary and Corporate Seals, Laundry Markers. StencHIng Supplies SAME DAY SERVICE Ada Shapiro Jeffrey Shapiro VALUE BUSINESS INTERIORS Jeff Epstein President New & Pre-Owned Office Furniture • Desks, Chairs, Files & More • Cubicles — Fully Refurbished and “As-ls” Design Services Available “Good Furniture with Great Experience” 704-522-1968 2707 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28209 In tw SedgefieW Shopping Center, across from tw P«pci-Cota Plant and principals will go a long way to maintaining the atmosphere we want in the public schools. If, however, parents do encounter incidents that they con sider objectionable:, they do have recourses: The firs t step is speak directly with your child’s teacher regarding her classM-oom policy or the behavior of araother child in the class. In most ases this will probably be all the parent needs to do. However, if yc»u aren’t satis fied with the resulCs of this con versation, you should next approach the school’s principal with your concerns _ If the princi pal cannot satisfy you, each region in the Charlotte -Mecklenburg school system has. an Assistant Superintendent. Y^our region’s supervisor should Ix next on your list to present youi.r problem to. Finally, if nothing can be done about the problem at this point, you can see Barbara Pellin, the Assistant Superintendent for Family Services. Marvin Goldberg at the Jew'ish Federation of Greater CharIott« will also be available to assist jou with any problems regarding the religion in schools policy. He cr an be reached at 366-5007. Many thanks to 'Tammy Seigel and Jackie Fishman of the School Issues Subcommi ttee of the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Comm ittee. Adam Bernstein chairs the Jewish Community Relatioais Committee. The Last Word Pro~Active Resj>onses to Religious Issues in Your Child *s School These suggestions come from Jackie Fishman and T’ammy Seigel of the Jewish Community Relations Schc»oi Issues Subcommittee. • Be positive, patient, and have realistic expectations. • Choose your “battl es” carefully. • Communicate early in the school year with your chiiid’s teacher about your religious holidays and how observances of these holidays will affect your child in the class room. • Network with oth»er parents of your faith. • Create a parent team to share successful strategies- • Share your holiday s as an educa tional tool in your child’s class room (with teacher a-pproval). • Provide resources for your teacher to better understand your holidays and religioias practices. • Develop a brochure that explains your religious hoHdsftys which can be distributed to teac: hers. • Encourage and support multicul tural programming within your school. • Praise positive efforts toward inclusion and religio«is tolerance. • Use these moment-s as teaching moments to your children. The Anti-Defamaition League has also developed n^aterials about religion in public s«:hools called The ABC’s of Religmon in Public Schools. This can be accessed from their vwebsite at www.adl.f^g/ADLR «pt/ChurchSt atcFolder/ABC_Post«.hunl Charlotte-l\1ecldenburg Board of Education Religion in Schools Policy #5136 Teachers and other staff members shall Incorporate the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and morality in all of their teaching, counseling, and other contacts with students. Because there are students, teachers, and staff of many reli gious faiths, convictions and beliefs in the Chariotte- Mecklenburg Schools, school staff members must be sensi tive to the freedom of religion and other Constitutional rights of all. The following guidelines on religion and religious prac tices in the schools are provided in order to avoid infringe ment of individual rights and to set forth the Board's position concerning certain religious issues: 1. Teachers may include religion’s role in appropriate subjects in the curriculum, such as literature, history, the humanities, and the arts. Neither teachers nor guest speak ers shall promote religion and should use faimess and objectivity when presenting subjects that address religion. 2. Staff shall be sensitive to how religious holidays may impact the behavior, appearance, or attendance of students and staff. Examinations and other major events will not be scheduled on religious holidays designated by the Superintendent. School personnel shall use sensitivity and good judgment when scheduling school activities. 3. Students who miss school because of religious rea sons should not be adversely affected because of, the absence. 4. School personnel should avoid activities or assign ments that would be deemed to be objectionable on religious grounds. If a parent should object to an activity, school per sonnel will grant parent’s written request to have a student excused. An equivalent altemative activity will be provided for the student. 5. The temporary use of religious symbols, seasonal cel ebrations, and music is permitted. An effort towards diversi ty and mutual respect is expected. 6. A moment of silence not to exceed one minute in dura tion is permitted for quiet reflection provided that no further instructions are given on how the period of silence is to be used. 7. Historical survey courses which offer an elective cred it in social studies or which offer an elective credit in lan guage arts, may include the teaching of sacred writings and are permitted as part of the high school curriculum. 8. Appropriate religious books may be given to students as a part of course work but may not be generally distributed by religious groups to students at school. 9. Students may read religious materials during the school day except when it interferes with classroom work or other school activities. 10. No restrictions shall be placed on prayer by individ ual students or groups of students as long as it does not interfere in anyway with the school program. 11. Religious groups or clubs may be organized and meet on school premises before or after school or during time designated by the principal for non-instructional activi ties, with the same privileges as other non-curriculum relat ed school clubs. 12. School personnel may read religious materials and pray on their free time and may carry or wear religious sym bols when on duty at school as long as it does not interfere with their work. Principals and other administrative person nel should be sensitive to and show respect for religious beliefs held by other employees and students. In dealing with religious issues, they should do so in a manner that will not show or imply favor or disfavor with any employee’s or student's religious beliefs. 13. Religious groups, just as any other non-school relat ed group, will be permitted use of school facilities provided there is no conflict with school activities and Board policy and administrative regulations #1330 are followed. 14. Graduation exercises, assemblies, and other school- sponsored events will not include centrally led or school sys tem sanctioned group prayer but may include a moment of silence in accordance with paragraph 6. Individual students and groups of students may pray in accordance with para graph 10 of this policy. 15. Counseling of students or informal discussions with students by school personnel shall neither infringe on the students' religk>us beliefs nor seek to influerx:e students’ reli gious beliefs. 16. In scheduling speakers for classes and school assembly programs, schools may schedule nx>tivatk>nal speakers. Quest speakers will not pronK>te religion. Hebrew Cemetery Hours Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sunday, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Saturday, Closed
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 1, 1998, edition 1
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