Talk is running wild through the internet about the New Jersey Board of Education's alleged approval of the eight Pagan/Wiccan holidays or sabbats. According to these discussions, the NJ BOE will be bringing the subject up at the March BOE meeting for approval, after which Pagans will be excused from school for the day on officially listed sabbats.
The Wild Hunt, a Pagan blog which serves up noteworthy Pagan news, even featured a quote from an unnamed source which stated: “I just got a call from the NJ Board of Education. They are adding 8 Wiccan/Pagan holidays to the “official” BoE calendar! They just wanted to double check the dates with me, in response to my letter to them in December. They said it will be adopted as official policy next month at the March BoE meeting!! our holidays plus a couple Jewish ones they apparently missed.”
Exciting news for Pagans of school aged children in NJ, and a breakthrough decision that could influence other states to make the same considerations for their Pagan and Wiccan citizens. But is it true? A direct call today to the New Jersey Board of Education brought no answers. Promised an official response sometime today, a contact at the NJ BOE had not heard anything about this news before now.
Until an official statement is given, the celebration of success might need to be held off. Though several universities accept sabbats as excused absences, a cursory search shows no state boards that include Pagan/Wiccan holidays. Even Salem School District, which includes a school named "Witchcraft Heights" does not have the sabbats listed on their calendar.
Stay tuned for an official statement coming to this column.
Comments
Pagans have been very resilient throughout history and we've made the best of a bad situation... so as to having our sabbaths off comes to a surprise. Born and raised (and presently still living) in New Jersey, I've going to be astounded if this proposal actually goes thru. If it doesn't, we shall worship as we always have, on our time or take the hit and be penalized for the day off... but what this proposal does is finally FINALLY edge us closer to achieving the respect and recognishing we deserve as a legitimate faith.
As far as the source I spoke to this morning knew, their had been no proposal at all. Still waiting for the promised email with the official stance on the subject.
As a Pagan in NJ, I agree, my family will keep on like we always have as far as sabbats and school - usually just celebrating on the closest weekend.
I've often speculated that if we celebrated all known holidays there wouldn't be too many work days left over! That's what led me to start doing a daily holidays/commemorations post at gather.com
The problem I can see is that if this is indeed going to be the case, that there will be a number of "conversions" to paganism by students simply to get more days off. Will they engage specific criteria to be met before the students will be classed as 'pagan' to gain the holidays or will it simply be based on what the student tells them, proof not necessary?
Given that the main Christian holidays are still public holidays (ie non-school days), this would mean that the students could effectively double their free time.
When I worked, I chose to have my sabbats off, but worked the Christmans and Easter days that my employer didn't have to pay triple time for (they refused to let me work those days).
And, will the students be required to make up the classes they may miss? How and when will this be achieved? Who takes responsibliity for that?
A lovely idea, but it has the makings of being problematic for some....
I pray for you babe. Come back from the dark side into the light.
Wow! This could be interesting. New Jersey is really odd when it comes to education, though--it's corrupt. Every time there is change I expect some sort of ulterior motive. I'm glad this awareness is at least out there.
I'm sure a parent would have to sign off on the time off from school. Children generally can't write themselves an excuse for a day off.
Critic Al, maybe you should educate yourself about Paganism before you pray for me. I'll pray for you as well - to be more tolerant of other's beliefs and to be less critical.
"Judge not, lest ye be judged", right?
Or maybe you prefer "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
What difference does it make even the the so called christain holidays like christmas easter halloween and whatever are pagan anyway.Their roots coming from the worship of pagan gods and Im a christain who refrains from any of these.
Do we really need our schools to fill our kids heads with even more ancient superstitions and mystical musings?
It's bad enough that the kids have the Judeo-Christian myths on their school calendar, and now we're going to add the pagan holidays too? How about the special days for the Hindus and Muslims? Voodoo days, too?
How about adding other myths too like a holiday off to commemorate the day that Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall and thereby He died for all of our sins so we could get into heaven or some other crazy train of thought. Yes, that's what our kids need to see on their calendar.
OR.... perhaps instead we could have them attending classes in school learning reading, writing, arithmetic, sociology, biology, political science, economics, ecosystems, languages, music, art, culture, history, and focus on teaching them about the REAL world that we actually all live in.
Can we get some more of THAT on their calendars?
Before anyone gets too excited, I'd just like to stress two points:
1. Nothing has actually happened yet, and there is no official word that it will.
2. These holidays, if they do pass, will not necessarily go on any calendar that the kids ever see. Just like "Christmas Break" is called "Winter Holiday", it's doubtful that school districts will put the Wiccan holidays on a print calendar that the kids take home.
What it would do is be on a list of approved holidays that the NJ BOE sends out to schools, which includes holidays of many faiths, that they approve for excused absences.
As a religion recognized and protected by the US government and military, the Wiccan holidays are appropriate to be on the list. It doesn't mean that schools will be ever mentioning it to their students.
Michael, do your children take the days off of school for these holidays that you do not personally follow? Just curious.
Even with all the caveats added, the idea that a day that is actually meaningful to me be officially recognized as special touched a very deep chord. You folks who sarcastically suggest humpty dumpty day and whine about more days off forget that these pagan holidays follow movements our our planet within the heavens, the are in no way frivilous. Indeed all beings experience them whether or not they honor or are even aware of it. Even a pious muslim or catholic can admit appreciation for nature without going to hell. In my opinion it should be a holiday for all.
Well said, chrysalis!
Hi, Chrysalis. I totally agree that the movements of the planet are not frivolous. Indeed, they are fascinating and educational from what scientific inquiry has learned from them (and interesting culturally/psychologically to see the superstitious myths that have grown from human ponderings about the planets, stars, etc.). I have a passionate appreciation for astronomy, but no use for the superstitions of astrology.
Similarly, I greatly appreciate the beauty, richness and wonder of nature. But my respect, awe and admiration for nature does not require mucking it up with superstitions in the supernatural realm. As Richard Dawkins would say... isn't it enough to appreciate the beauty of a garden without having to believe that there are leprechauns/fairies there too?
To: Kris Bradley. Thanks for the clarification regarding where these days would and would not appear on the calendar that the students themselves are given.
For the record, I think that pagan/Wiccan holidays should be given the same recognition/privileges as holidays related to Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Pastafarians (Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster), etc. Just that overall I don't think the government should be involved in recognizing or giving privileges to ANY of them. Let people practice their beliefs without government interference/sanctioning.
If someone wants to take their children out of school for a religious celebration, then the student/parent should just expect whatever the school policy is for missing a day (e.g., you have to make up the exams, if you miss too many days in the year you might not graduate the next grade level, or whatever).
Peace to all. I wish you all well.
Peter, I actually agree with you on the point of separation of church and state. I'm a huge supporter of it.
At the same time, you either have to separate ALL religions or none. If the kids are getting off for Christmas and Yom Kippur (which they do in NJ), then Pagans should also be able to take off Samhain as well.
Agreed (about equal treatment for ALL religions).
I was there they were approved and you can look on the NJBOE website under the meeting minutes to prove it...its under B
Wow, who would have guessed *Republican* Governer Jabba the, er, Chris Christie would let this happen under his watch. Maybe he's also a...nah!!! Well, I say, YAY and frikkin' WOW: some actual Progress for Pagan Rights in America. (And only decades late! Thanks for waiting for the Apocalypse, jerks! Lol.) Thanks for censoring my language, Examiner. I didn't know I was only seven years old. I thought we were all adults here. :/ ~Meph
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