According to a story in today’s New York Post by Andrea Peyser, parents whose children attend a “pricey Manhattan private school” are outraged by a new policy allegedly aimed at protecting the feelings of children raised by
same-sex couples by banning Mother’s Day as well as Father’s Day.
The post reports, “Students at Rodeph Sholom Day School on the Upper West Side, where tennis
legend John McEnroe sends his children, came home Friday with an unusual note tucked into their book bags.
‘I am writing this letter to inform you that after much thought and
discussion this past year, we will not be celebrating Mother’s Day and
Father’s Day,’ began the letter written by Cindi Samson, director of the
school’s lower elementary division.
‘At this time, these holidays are not needed to enhance our writing and arts
programs,’ the letter continued. ‘Second, families in our society are now
diverse and varied.
‘We are a school with many different family makeups, and we need to
recognize the emotional well-being of all the children in our school.
Holidays that serve no educational purpose and are not vital to the
children’s education need to be evaluated in terms of their importance in a
school setting, as the recognition of these holidays in a social setting may
not be a positive experience for all children.'”
Peyser interviewed parents who were afraid to go on record for fear of reprisals. The parents interviewed expressed outrage and disbelief at the school’s drastic decision.
Rodeph Sholom, affiliated with a Reform Jewish synagogue, has programs for kids age 2 through sixth grade for approximately $15,000 to $20,000 a year.
According to Peyser, Mother’s Day crafts and cards were banned last week “when a man – who adopted his son with a
male partner – boasted that he had persuaded administrators to remove Mother’s Day from the school’s holiday list.”
Contact information for the school:
Rodeph Sholom Day School
Irwin Shlachter, Headmaster
10 West 84th Street
New York, NY 10024
(t) 212-362-8600
(f) 212-874-0117 ishlaq@aol.com
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