Houston, TX – A state association has again voted down a request by a Jewish Orthodox school in Houston to move the start of its scheduled boys’ basketball playoff game this weekend so the team wouldn’t violate its Sabbath.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The Beren Academy advanced to the 2A semifinals of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial School’s boys’ basketball tournament, but its next game was slated for 9 p.m. on Friday.
The Beren students, bound by their religion, recognize the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown on Saturday. The school appealed to TAPPS to change its game time, but the TAPPS board unanimously voted down the appeal, citing a bylaw.
The story gained national attention, and the TAPPS board met again on Wednesday, but voted 8-0 to keep this weekend’s schedule intact.
Beren coach Chris Cole did not immediately return a phone message left Wednesday night.
TAPPS released a statement, saying it was merely following its Constitution and By-Laws with its decision. Director Edd Burleson said Tuesday that TAPPS had previously informed Beren that scheduling conflicts may occur, and TAPPS reiterated that on Wednesday.
“The Athletic Director (Cole) stated that he understood and did not see that as a problem, since he just wanted their players to have an opportunity to play in a `district,”‘ the statement said.
TAPPs cited a rule that states that schools “must notify the TAPPS office in writing if their team will not participate in all playoff games in which they qualify as scheduled by TAPPS. If for any reason, the team cannot follow the schedule as provided by TAPPS the school shall remove itself from the playoffs without penalty so that the next highest ranked team may represent the district in the playoffs.”
Cole said Tuesday that he was hoping TAPPS could make an exception without disrupting the tournament. Burleson said TAPPS had to stick to its bylaws, despite a flurry of e-mails and phone calls in the wake of the national recognition that the case generated.
The school knew when they joined the league that they keep shabbos, so they shouldn’t be surprised when shabbos shows up during the playoffs.
Whenever these stories happen, I hear the words kiddush hashem uttered, and I think the opposite. Once again, asking the others to change the rules for something that is voluntary to begin with.
And if it was a Moslem school, would they have made the same decision?
Despite the liberal mindset, you can’t get everything in life.
8-0 that is a little surprising but it is TX
however, they knew when they joined that this would a be a problem
Despite the fact that America is the best country in the world there are still bigots and Anti Semitics living here it is our job to fight them wherever they surface so I say let us publicize this and let us keep up the pressure , Shabbos is FOREVER even non Shomrei Shabbos will fight those who want to deny this to these kids
And if the situation were the other way around and it was a Sunday morning, Christmas Day, Easter Sunday etc… the screams of unfair would be heard all over America.
#1 who knows what the school knew…you are giving them credit for something that they are probably oblivious to until the issue came up.
Next thing you know they’ll be makin these kind of demands by YU’s Saracheck Tournament
They have made exceptions in the past for 7th day Adventist teams and moved their games from Saturday, as they also keep Saturday as their day of rest, the difference being that the 7 day Adventists are Christian so they accommodated them.
I was sympathetic to the league until I read a NY Times article today. The league does not allow games on Sunday. The rule goes back to the 1970s when all the members of the league “celebrated” the sabbath on Sunday. All of the teams concerned agreed to change the time table for their games against Beren Academy. The league, however, is standing firm. I do not believe everything is anti-semitism. I do not even believe this is necessarily anti-semitism. Still, as former coach Jeff Van Gundy of the Houston Rockets said: the association officials should change their minds. They need to realize that the games are for the students not for the officials.
They do not Jewish boys to win so they are doing it ON PURPOSE!! Where are their civil rights??