Judge Rules in Favor of Jewish School
The Frankel Jewish Academy in Detroit, Michigan is an independent, coeducational day school with a college preparatory academic program, Jewish studies, and an extensive extracurricular program.
The school’s athletic teams play within the Catholic League and according to the school’s athletic director, the other faith-based schools have been cooperative about scheduling games.
But, that was not the case in 2004. Frankel Academy’s baseball team made the Michigan High School Athletic Association postseason tournament. All of the tournament games were scheduled on the Jewish Sabbath and the school asked the league to reschedule. The league refused. The school took the league to court.
Almost four years later a judge has ruled that the Jewish students were penalized for their religious beliefs. Circuit Court Judge Rae Lee Chabot said in his decision that the school’s athletes were “being penalized for their religious beliefs.”
The league plans to appeal the case because according to a league spokesperson, the members of the league expect them to do that.
The Frankel Academy team is pleased with the decision. Athletic director Michael Sandweiss said that he just wanted his athletes to be able to play in tournaments sponsored by the league without compromising their religious beliefs.
Source: Associated Press
BLOG QUESTION
Should athletic events be scheduled around religious calendars?
The school’s athletic teams play within the Catholic League and according to the school’s athletic director, the other faith-based schools have been cooperative about scheduling games.
But, that was not the case in 2004. Frankel Academy’s baseball team made the Michigan High School Athletic Association postseason tournament. All of the tournament games were scheduled on the Jewish Sabbath and the school asked the league to reschedule. The league refused. The school took the league to court.
Almost four years later a judge has ruled that the Jewish students were penalized for their religious beliefs. Circuit Court Judge Rae Lee Chabot said in his decision that the school’s athletes were “being penalized for their religious beliefs.”
The league plans to appeal the case because according to a league spokesperson, the members of the league expect them to do that.
The Frankel Academy team is pleased with the decision. Athletic director Michael Sandweiss said that he just wanted his athletes to be able to play in tournaments sponsored by the league without compromising their religious beliefs.
Source: Associated Press
BLOG QUESTION
Should athletic events be scheduled around religious calendars?