Monday, April 9, 2012
State University will no longer cancel classes for Christian, Jewish holidays
This article from Fox News discusses the decision made recently in regards to a New York university cancelling classes for Christian and Jewish holidays. State University of New York at Stony Brook decided to no longer cancel classes on Christian and Jewish holidays. The decision was made in an effort “to ensure that some religions are not given special treatment and to ‘afford equal support and equal respect to students and faculty from all faiths’”. The article lists holidays of these two faiths that would be affected: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and Holy Week for Jews and Good Friday for Christians. Charles Robbins, vice provost for undergraduate education, wants to take all religions into consideration while maximizing instructional times for students, therefore, the state funded university and he found it most beneficial to follow through with the decision. He clearly states that he acknowledges all concerns, but a small number of people are upset. The university and he want to make sure there is no “special treatment”. The university is confident that the decision to stop cancelling classes for these religious holidays ensures no “special treatment”.
I am in agreement with this decision. If the policy of cancelling classes for Christian and Jewish holidays were to be subjected to the Lemon Test, it would fail all three prongs of the three-prong test. Passing this decision is a safe guard for the university to avoid possible future lawsuits. I am surprised no lawsuits have been taken to court in regards to class cancellation. The university is correct in its passing of the decision because it does offer no “special treatment” of a religion, group of people, or individual. By not cancelling classes for specific religious holidays, all religions are taken into consideration.
Due to the university’s status as being a state funded university, the university falls under a governmental entity. Therefore, it is the university’s duty to adhere to the constitution in all of its policies. If the new policy were to be questioned as unconstitutional, it would be subjected to the Lemon Test within the courts. The new policy would in fact pass the Lemon Test’s three-prong evaluation. Number 1, the state funded university now has a secular purpose. Before the change, it would be hard to say that the university’s purpose was purely religious and not secular; however, it would not have been deemed purely secular either. Number two, the university is now not advancing Christianity and Judaism over other religions or inhibiting the other religions. Pre-policy change, the university would be seen to advancing Christianity and Judaism over all other religions as well as inhibiting the other religions. Number three, the university now does not have excessive entanglement with religion. Previously, the university was excessively entangled with religion because it was allowing classes to be cancelled for certain religious holidays and because it was decreasing instructional time with the students for religious purposes. I am confident that if a lawsuit were to come about due to the change in policy, it would not stand in a court of law. The decision for the new policy would be deemed constitutional.
Tags:
0 Responses to “State University will no longer cancel classes for Christian, Jewish holidays”
Post a Comment