Petition

Dear Dr. Valeski and Members of the Board of Education of East Brunswick,

We, the undersigned, are members of the Christian Orthodox community in East Brunswick which has been at the heart of this town since the 1970s. For many years our students have attended school on religious holidays instead of observing in church or at home with their families, for fear of taking off and having only more work to complete upon their return. Those students who do take off are faced with exactly that, and even when they are off, they are overwhelmed with worry thinking about what they have to makeup. Historically we have requested these be recognized as holidays for school closures and were told to provide letters for excused absences, however this does not keep the aforementioned issues from happening. Our students and their families want nothing more than to be able to practice their religion and observe their holidays. We are therefore kindly requesting that Christian Orthodox holidays be considered for East Brunswick Public School closures given the number of students impacted. We appreciate your time and consideration, and that you will act in the best interest of our students and their families.

Kindest Regards,