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An observant Jewish senior at Mott Hall High School in Harlem is missing her graduation—because the ceremony takes place on the Sabbath. The Post reports that Li Morse, "who is one of just nine white students in the 400-person school and the only Jewish student in her grade," is really upset: "This is one of the most absurd situations in my life. I'm very angry." Morse's mother pleaded with the school's principal, pointing out that even her daughter's classmates made sure the senior class trip didn't conflict with Jewish holidays. But the school held firm, only offering a diploma ceremony at the school library on Friday. Morse's mother said, "She shouldn't have to choose between her religion and her high-school graduation," while the teen, who will attend the College of Staten Island this all, said, "It's my high-school graduation. I went through 12 years of school. It's a big life event, and I wanted to do it, and I can't." The school nor the Department of Education had comment for the Post.
With Graduation On Sabbath, Brooklyn Girl Opts Out
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Sorry, but everyone else shouldn't be inconvenienced to coddle you and your demented religion. Same goes for people who whine about not doing things on Sundays.
so annoying, whiny little wet rat.
another reason organized religion as opposed to perhaps simple personal faith is RETARDED.
Think you might be able to voice an opinion without resorting to a high school girl as a "whiny little wet rat?" Can "hooknose" be far behind?
rats don't have hooknoses, you animal.
Seriously!!! What a selfish little bitch!!! Everyone else should be put out because of her beliefs? Bullshit!!!
Who said anyone would be "put out" by this girl's request? What's wrong with Sunday? Even if you go to church, they could hold if afterwards, no?
The ceremonies for everybody should be put on hold or rescheduled because she's Jewish? I don't think so.
Not really. Depending on the church one attends, the services are held all throughout Sunday. Are you suggesting that it's okay for the Christian students to be inconvenienced and miss their services to accommodate the Jewish student's religious observation?
All respect to others' personal beliefs, but this girl chose to attend a secular school. It's very unreasonable to expect a school to change their entire graduation schedule to accommodate the personal needs of one student. And I would say the same thing if it were a Christian, Hindu or Muslim student asking for the date to be changed.
So inconvenience 99 Christian families for one Jewish family?
HELL NO
Does the school board not know the meaning of the words "chosen people"?!?
Isn't sacrificing worldly gain and suffering for your faith part of religion?
I don't get it - was she going to classes on Fridays? What about a graduation ceremony is against her religion? If she could go to school on a Friday, why can't she attend a graduation on a Friday? I can't imagine this would be taking place after the sun sets - after 8:30...
The ceremony is on Saturday, not Friday.
I too find it funny that people would expect a non-religious institution to honor the holidays of their chosen religion.
For arguments sake though . . . I wonder how many people might change their tune if graduation was held on Easter or Ramadan?
Easter happens only once a year ... as opposed to every single week of the year.
And believe me, my ancestors and relative who lived in Eastern Europe and were subject to the pogroms that occurred every Easter couldn't be more grateful...
Oh... it takes place on a Saturday. Ignore me.
I'm puzzled that any public school graduation would occur on Saturday or Sunday, but if the date is written in stone, isn't there one family, Jewish or not, which lives within walking distance and is willing to put this young lady up for Shabbat so she can attend her graduation?
While I think some of the anger in these comments is a tad strong, I'm afraid I agree. She may be an orthodox Jew, but she attends a non-sectarian school. She must therefore abide by its rules and calendar, designed to meet the needs of the many, not the one.
Sorry, I don't know if she's orthodox; observant.
Seriously, they've got to get over this "chosen people" crap. The world will not tolerate this crap for too much longer. Go to jew school if you wanna impose your religious crap on people.
I don't think it's an issue of imposition. I think it's an issue of it being inconvenient for her and her only.
It would be pretty silly, IMO, to expect the school to change your graduation date when it is happening *this weekend*. I think it's more her disappointment over having to miss it altogether. That said, I think the earlier posts calling this girl a "whiny little bitch" etc. are uncalled for.
It said she has been trying for over a month
It said she has been trying for over a month
Is the school going to change graduation because a welfare mom is dropping a litter on graduation day? No.
So go back to jewish school if you want to live in a cult.
CHURCH & STATE, hello?
Really you can't miss one day of church to observe your success at an institution THAT DOESN'T preach hate but actually teaches you how to think?
Your comments are some of the most ridiculous, narrow-minded statements I've ever seen. The division of church and state says that religion should not be forced on anyone by the government nor endorsed. Accommodating people of various backgrounds is how we do that.
Conversely, the idea that the Post thinks this is worthy of a news story indicates it must have been a slow day. Sometimes it is not practical, for any number of reasons, to accommodate everyone. The school failed to publicly explain why that was. We think organizations, however, should try to do so. Plenty of graduations take place on Sunday afternoons.
If I were not able to graduate with everyone else because of my religious convictions, I would be angry too. I would talk to the school as she did. But ultimately, she is not being prevented from graduating, just attending a ceremony.
I'm disappointed in anyone who saw the need to bash organized religion. Go off and bash someone trying to force you to follow their beliefs, not someone who wants to be included and hasn't because of a scheduling decision.
"The division of church and state says that religion should not be forced on anyone by the government nor endorsed."
Slightly incorrect disafan. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
Basically, the state is not obligated to do anything in her favor. To inconvienence hundreds of people for one person would be illogical as well as selfish. The school has their reasons.
But your right the bashing is a bit much.
Everyone in my family went to public school. There are many observant Jews who attend public school. I have attended a number of geographically inconvenient graduations and known of many more (Eastern Queens schools with graduations on Long Island miles from the LIRR) but never have heard before of a NYC public school graduation on a weekend. One must only conclude that, when the minority is small enough, this school doesn't consider their interests to be significant enough to take them into account in their scheduling, and that's scary.
I had an orthodox Jewish kid on my little league baseball team and he had no problem playing ball on the sabath. He and his father would bike up to Central Park for the games because they couldn't ride the subway. But playing ball, and I assume going to a graduation, are permitted by the faith.
It appears she must be ultra orthodox not to be allowed to attend the ceremony.
""who is one of just nine white students ..." She must be easy to pick out in her school.
Everyone doesn't practice the same religion the same way though. If they did, then things would be very different.
There's Orthodox and there's Orthodox--unlike some religions, there are a lot of different views about what should be proscribed. People differ on the issue of bike riding on the sabbath, but I'd suspect the real issue is traveling to/from the ceremony and not participation in it, which is why it appears boarding with a classmate might make this do-able.
This little girl's mother will continue to make decisions for her and ruin her life until she gets married and has 8 kids.
What did the girl have to say? I bet she missed out on a bitchin' all-nighter.
Why was she attracted to the school initially?
A jewish girl going to College of Staten Island? Oy! The parents must be so disappointed.
BTW, I'm sure this girl would be happy to go to graduation if it wasn't Saturday and was held on December 25th. But wait, that will never happen because it's a national holiday. I went to NYC public schools and graduation was always on a weekday. I don't know how they do it in Harlem, but certainly not to accomodate the white kids.
"...logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
Spock
The rest of the school has to bowed down to one Jewish student and her religion!? Honey, God is not going to curse you for attending you're graduation. Plus the sabbath is not really a "holiday".
I still don't understand why she can't go. If she can walk there, isn't it okay? Couldn't she just sit in on it and not do a single thing, so she is not engaged in any "work"?
To tell the truth, I don't see what the big deal is. Not in regards to her religion, but to her graduation. I honestly don't remember much about my IS graduation, high school graduation or college commencement. If I had missed any of them, I wouldn't give it a second thought today. They're long, they're dull, they're definitely missable.
I understand that the girl wants to walk w/ her classmates for graduation but HS is nothing compared to college.
'Sides, she got special treatment already. Her classmates made sure her class trip didn't coincide with her other holidays. What else can she get?!?
Is it an important day? Absolutely. Does that mean she should get what she wants? Nopes.
Tough luck, kid. Hopefully your graduation day or wedding don't lie on the Sabbath too.
I didn't go to any of my graduations.
disappointment, get used to it.
and so what if it's on a Saturday, the Sun will still come up.
So what's the least holy day of the week...Tuesday?
After exhaustive research it appears so.
"One should never get married or begin a journey on Tuesdays." So it is said.
Nothing noted about graduations on Tuesdays that I've been able to find. Unless of course if you were able to stay awake during the commencement ceremony and the learned speaker wearing the funny hat says, "Citizens of the future. You are about to embark on a journey of ..." At that point you either puke or leave.
If these people had the balls to tell it like it is, it would sound more like. "Congratulations to all of you going on in the future at the institutions of higher learning. By the way the US Department of Education study states that 50% of you will not graduate from those institutions either because you are too stupid or are partying too much. The rest of you dead beats approximately 10 to 15 percent will either die in an auto accident while driving under the influence, get shot by a rival gang member, or die in a botched abortion. The remainder of you will probably be on welfare or get a cushy job working for the MTA, the Port Authority or one of the local government agencies like the Department of Motor Vehicles.
I would like to thank Principal Peterson, assistant principal Muhali, and the faculty of this great institution to allow me to officiate at this joyous event."
An important school event like this should not be scheduled on a weekend. But ditto what izsosick said - she should just skip it. Stuff happens and you can't always make it to every event you want. I skipped my grad school graduation because I had to work, for example.
Sigh. Another spammer. Jen should do something about this. I'd report him, but Gothamist's silly email reporting system stinks. Any real forum software like phpBB or Invision Power Board has much better reporting systems, but not this lame MovableType.
Now really. I managed to miss every one of my graduations, from grade school to college. I've never taken part of any religious rite, college hazing, or military induction. Life is all the mistakes you can get out of.
So all I have to say is, go eat a pork sausage, girl.
After reading the obvious, I realized the obvious. She's orthodox and lives in Brooklyn. Therefore she can't travel in a vehicle that makes sparks or flames. To get to Harlem she would have to either stay over night at a friend's house close to the school, or in the school itself, to make it to graduation without offending the "great one."
Welcome to the 21st Century dearheart in a Western civilization. I'm sure there will be other events in your life that will also test your faith.
Good Luck!
On a separate note. Do any other people here find that she is fat and ugly and could be a problem because she is fat and ugly? I sure do.
This person is going to live at home and eat and eat for the rest of her life.
I hope all her classes at College of SI are scheduled for Friday nights and Saturday.
You had to balance a positive and reasonable post (#24) with a really negative and crazy one.
Just one more observation. I promise it will be the last on this topic.
Why would an individual that lives in Brooklyn attend a school in Harlem where there are only nine whites in the school? Obviously for not cultural diversity.
Has this individual had problems with her public schooling in the past? I saw that when I was coaching baseball in the New York City area. There are some no matter what color, or ethnic, or religious background they came from, are just too weird and think the world is always against them and just don't understand.
That's a pretty amazing leap there.
Why wouldn't a Brooklyn high school student attend a school in Harlem to learn something about another culture? If she hadn't fit it, she wouldn't have been accommodated in the past, as is described.
Snoopy, your comment doesn't sound so different from those of the white self-styled non-racists in the sixties who wondered "Why do blacks want to come here, anyway? They'll be so isolated. . ."
Why? How about several dozen schools in Brooklyn, some probably within walking distance of her house that has the same ethnic diversity that she longed for.
Uh, do you have any idea who you're replying to here?
Snoopy on race.
Wow, how long were you holding on to that one? March 08?
Other than having a very nice search engine at your disposal, stay out of this Spitof76 it doesn't concern you.
Huh? Your inability to "get" why bias against anyone should concern everyone is at the heart of this.
BIAS? Huh? Get real. I have no problem with dealing with ethnic groups, but when a person gets all screwed out of place because she is denied her "religious/cultural" rights, I say screw them.
If every event in the city is rescheduled to accommodate an individual's eccentricities of every cultural group in the city nothing would get done. Similar to what is happening today.
Very few schools outside of NYC give the day off for Jewish holidays, even their high holidays. Think about it. Why? Because they don't give a shit about those holidays and all the other bullshit holidays that the Muslims and others create. Why? Because there ain't many of those groups living in their community.
Oy.
Those who abuse animals also abuse people, Snoopy proved it here.