Acknowledging the financial implications of students missing school days on Jewish holidays, the Redondo Beach school board has approved new district holidays for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, reports the Daily Breeze. On the absences: "On Yom Kippur this school year, the district recorded 208 more student absences than the daily average, costing the district $7,500 in funding. Redondo Beach Unified receives about $36 in per-pupil daily attendance funding." Because the state requires 180 days of instruction a year, the holidays will have to be made up either at the beginning or end of the school year, according to the paper. Perhaps fearing the Festivus contingent, one PTA member is against the plan.'"It opens the door to any other holiday being added," said Michael Ude, a Jefferson Elementary PTA member. "It would be discrimination and open the door to lawsuits. New religious holidays have no place in our schools.'" For their part, Los Angeles Unified School District's policy "acknowledges the Jewish holidays with two 'unassigned days' in September," according to the Breeze.
· Redondo schools to add Jewish holidays [Daily Breeze]
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