Dr. William Jansen, Superintendent of Schools, has recommended to the New York City Board of Education that it close the city’s public schools on three days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. He said that so many teachers are absent for religious observance on each of these days that it is impossible to run the schools safely.
“I made the recommendation to solve an administrative problem, ” Dr.Jansen said.”It is becoming increasingly difficult to cover our schools with the limited staff available on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We try to get substitutes to cover the places of absentees, but we can get only a fraction of the number of sub statutes we need.”
Dr. Jansen said that “in some sections of the city most teachers and principals are absent, but most pupils report for classes. In other sections, virtually all pupils report for classes. In other sections, virtually all pupils stay away, but a good proportion of the teachers, not being of the Jewish faith, report for duty.” The Board of Education is not expected to act soon on Dr. Jansen’s recommendation. In the fall of 1955, two of these days will be observed on Saturday and Sunday, leaving but one holy day which will affect public school administration.
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