Brunswick to alter its calendar

BRUNSWICK

In the wake of controversy stemming from a meeting where the Jewish community was referred to as an “outside group,” the Brunswick School District calendar may soon include every major religion’s holy days.

“Unfortunately at our recent board meeting, comments made by some board members over the school calendar offended members of the community,” Brunswick School Board Chairman William Thompson wrote in a statement issued the day after the meeting, addressing the controversial remarks.

Thompson wrote: “This is regrettable. As a board and a community, we strive to be inclusive and open to diverse opinions and ideas. We want schools that are welcoming and respectful of individuals and their personal beliefs. The Brunswick School Board affirms its continued commitment to these values.”

Last week, a letter signed by several members of the Brunswick Area Havurah was sent to school district administrators, requesting that Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Passover be noted on the school calendar to avoid scheduling conflicts.

The letter stated that last year a field trip and picture day were scheduled on the prominent Jewish holidays, causing “undue stress” for children and families alike.

No action was taken by the board when it met Jan. 13. However, during the discussion, board member Brenda Clough stated, “I don’t know how jazzed I am about having outside groups put their information on our school calendar.”

School board member Janet Connors had also warned against the erosion of the separation of church and state.

“Can I mention some other religions that you’re not talking about? Because Muslims, some of the other, unusual, or not the mainstream religions, I guess, have holy days for long periods of time. We’d stop having school pretty soon,” Connors said. “I’m distressed by this.”

The Havurah group, however, was not asking for additional school days off, board member Rich Ellis noted.

Thompson wrote on Jan. 14 that he met with Superintendent Paul Perzanoski regarding the issue, and decided to have the calendar inclusive of every major religion’s holy days.

In his letter, which is posted on the district’s website, Thompson stated: “The Brunswick School Board in no way thinks of Jewish community members (or any other religious or non-religious group) as outsiders. Any one of us, at any given moment, can be in-artful or inarticulate in the points we are trying to make. I hope going forward that we as board members will try harder to choose words that cannot be construed to ostracize certain community members. Similarly as a community, I hope that we can all treat each other with respect and give one another the benefit of the doubt, especially when hearing about statements second or third-hand; seeking to clarify and understand statements that might come across as offensive, before assuming the worst in people and ascribing them with bad intentions when they are looking for the right words and unfortunately, coming up short.”

According to Thompson, following the meeting Thompson asked Perzanoski Superintendent to draft a calendar is inclusive of every major religion’s holy days over the next several weeks.

“After a draft of this revised calendar is circulated to the board, if there are other important dates/holy days that the community feels are not included, we would ask members of the community to send those dates to Paul Perzanoski for inclusion in the calendar,” Thompson wrote. “This calendar will serve as a reminder to faculty and staff that these days are important to members of our community, and they should be cognizant of them while they schedule their school year activities.”

The author of the Havurah’s letter, Natasha Goldman, said she was grateful for the conversation that the letter facilitated, saying it was almost as important as any vote on the calendar.

“I’m very pleased with the statement that the school board chair put out about the multi-faith calendar. It was a swift response. It was decisive and I absolutely think it was the right thing to do,” Goldman said.

In an email to The Times Record on Monday night, Clough also clarified her remarks.

“When I made my comment during our school board meeting, I was referring to groups in the community distinguishing them from the groups within our schools,” Clough wrote, in part. “As you know, we have five schools. Each school has many staff groups who use the calendar to post both student and staff scheduled events. I didn’t know how many other community groups, faith-based or non-faith based, the school board may receive future requests from to post their important dates on the calendar.”

Clough also noted that the calendar is drafted through collaboration with RSU 5 and SAD 75 schools to accommodate Region 10 Technical High School students.

“In my mind, I could foresee the possibility of having limited time and space, admittedly having no data in front of us to examine,” Clough wrote. “Additionally, experience tells me that responding to the requests of religious groups historically has opened the door to communications from other religious groups. I had no intention of referring to the Brunswick Jewish community members as an outside group. Brunswick is home to people who affiliate with an amazing number of diverse groups, both faith-based and non-faith based. The Brunswick Jewish community members are a part of what makes Brunswick.”

Goldman said that people she has been in contact with are delighted, noting an overwhelming number of texts, email and social media posts — many thanking her for her efforts to bring the topic to light and lobbying to have the holidays put on the calendar.

“I do believe that we have about a 10 percent Jewish population in Brunswick — not in Maine, but in Brunswick, especially of school-age children. That hasn’t always been the case in Brunswick. I think a lot of people learned a lot in the past week,” Goldman said.

Goldman said that the Jewish community celebrates Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur the evening before and the day of the holiday where families are all at synagogue. She said likewise, the first two nights of Passover, families are home together or with others from the Jewish community. Goldman said children go to school, but do not attend events on those evenings.

“It’s important that the school board and the teachers and the administrators and the citizens of Brunswick realize these holidays are celebrated and at the same time those families really want to take part in school activities,” Goldman said.

This story has been updated to include more accurate information regarding the calendar.

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