Bergen County, NJ A high school competition for would-be lawyers has changed its scheduling rules after a Teaneck school for Orthodox Jewish students had a religious conflict that ultimately led to a resolution in Congress.
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The final day of the National Mock Trial Championship is on a Saturday, which is the Jewish Sabbath, and a team from Torah Academy of Bergen County almost was prevented from competing for the national title in 2005 because of the conflict.
The rules were changed that year to accommodate the team, but afterward the contest’s board voted not to allow such changes in the future. The board reversed that decision last week.
“It’s been a long fight and I’m glad justice has prevailed,” said Rep. Steve Rothman, D-Fair Lawn, who sponsored a non-binding resolution that passed the House in 2007 calling for flexibility in dealing with faith-based conflicts.
Great win over anti-semitism. I can’t believe the blatant anti-semitism. Only this year we make an exception…sickening. At least congress has some brains but its sad that it should have to be a fight and have to reach that high up.
Well, they’ve made the “exception” twice now. The precedent has been set and it would be difficult for them to say no in the future when they’ve said yes twice.
i still wonder why standardized tests like the sat, mcat, lsat, etc are still givin on shabbos with shabbos observers having to send in documentation proving that they cannot take the test then. why not just make all these things on tuesday? they do it for elections.