Responding to reports today that an Aurora high school scheduled a gymnastics meet on Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and prayer for Jews, which would cause Jewish students observing the holiday to miss the contest, Bruce H. DeBoskey, Mountain States Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League issued the following statement:

“Public schools should not put their students in the position of choosing between the tenets of their faith and participating in important extracurricular activities. This is a conflict that need not have happened. The Cherry Creek School District, the high schools involved, and the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) all have faced these issues before, and should simply adopt a clear policy that athletic events should not take place on important Jewish holidays.

In particular we call upon CHSAA to prohibit activities on those days. CHSAA has taken a first step in committing that no tournaments or playoffs will be scheduled on Jewish holidays. But CHSAA still hasn’t taken the next step – to recognize the importance of those holidays by telling schools not to schedule any meets or events on those days.

CHSAA’s rules recognize the importance of Christian observances, but do not extend the same recognition to important Jewish holidays. CHSAA bans any activity by any school – meets, practices, or even communications from coaches – on every Sunday and during Christmas week. It is high time that CHSAA amends its rules to also ban such activity on important Jewish holidays.

This should be the last time a public school forces a Jewish student to choose between observing a holy day of fasting and prayer or participating in an athletic event.”