University closed on Jewish Holidays
In days of yore I was an undergraduate at York University, here in lovely Toronto Canada. I have to admit that I found it odd that my university would cancel classes for 3 days out of the year that were not considered statutory holidays (Bank Holidays to you Brits) - Yom Kippur & Rosh Hashana (sp?). But it was 3 days off from school, and what self-respecting student wouldn’t love to not having to go into class at an ungodly 8am.
Most recently there was a complaint lodged that this practice is discriminatory. The Ontario Human Rights Commission agreed and York University is to stop this discriminatory practice. Now, it appears that it was not a student complained - god forbid that some pimple faced self-centred 18 year old would actually think of religious rights.. that doesn’t happen until the 3rd or 4th year of university. It was a professor who lodged the complaint.
Officially, yes, the practice is discriminatory as it tends to favour those of Jewish Faith. But I ask now, if it is unfair to favour the Jewish students, why are we still favouring Christian students? — Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Good Friday. These three days the university is closed, as is any other educational institution in this country.
Rivelli said,
April 2, 2008 @ 9:11 pm
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has not yet made a decision. Please see this website: http://www.excal.on.ca/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6017
What happened was that the complainant sent media outlets a copy of the Commission investigator’s report. It is up to the Commissioners to decide whether or not to adopt the report. Sometimes they adopt such recommendations and sometimes they do not. I think Mr. Noble jumped the gun.
PuckRobin said,
April 3, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
For years I’ve argued that as an agnostic, I should be entitled to all religons’ holidays (the advantage over being an atheist). No one seems to accept my reasoning.
And of course a student didn’t complain. What student wouldn’t want to get out of three days worth of classes?
Allen