Ramsey Schools May Protest ‘Insensitive’ Budget Vote Date

Ramsey Board of Education members may take a formal stand against a state scheduling decision that they say is ‘insensitive’ to Jewish members of Ramsey and 40 other towns across the state that hold budget votes and school board elections in April.

According to officials, the state’s date for the 2014 budget vote is April 15, which falls on the first full day of Passover.

After a resident brought the conflict to the Board of Education’s attention at a recent meeting, Board member Richard Muti proposed Tuesday night that the board take a formal stance against the date, and petition for it to be changed.

Muti proposed a resolution Tuesday that the board will vote on next week. If passed, the resolution would be sent to the Governor, Commissioner of Education, state legislature, other state representatives, and to other school districts, recommending that the date be changed.

The move would be in line with one made last month by the board that pushed back the start date of the 2013-14 school year so that it would not coincide with Rosh Hashanah. Residents at a board meeting last month asked district officials to be more sensitive to the cultural and religious commitments of the entire community.

However, Muti warned the board and the public that passing the resolution may not persuade the state to change the date, partially because a vast majority of NJ districts no longer hold April elections. Ramsey is one of only 41 districts statewide that voted last year to keep its April budget vote in tact.

“Unfortunately, because we are in the minority, I’m not sure the legislature will follow our suggestion,” Muti said.

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