The Board of Education of Hillside upheld last night the expulsion of a 13-year-old Orthodox Jewish boy from a summer course at Hillside High School for wearing a skull-cap.
Bernard Paul White, who attends a Jewish day school during the regular school year, entered the summer class wearing a skull-cap. The boy refused requests from his teacher, vice-principal John Kulikowski, School Superintendent Wayne Branom and board chairman Franklin Feltman that he not wear the yarmulke while attending the class. The superintendent and the chairman ruled the boy could not attend the class while wearing the skull-cap, and the boy’s father asked the American Jewish Congress for help. Last night a hearing on the issue was held before the school board.
After the hearing, Mr. Feltman said he would seek a ruling by the State Commissioner of Education on the question. William White, the father, told the board meeting that “the rights of my son to practice his religion” were violated by the ban.
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