Update: September 30, 2022
This just in: Governor Whitmer has released a message to all Michigan public school families about MI’s Count Day falling on Yom Kippur this year.
In it, she says, “Every student, parent, and education professional deserve certainty that they will be afforded equal resources regardless of their religious beliefs, and to know that they are welcome, valued members of the broader Michigan school community.”
Thank you to the many concerned parents and communal leaders who spoke out on this issue. Federation was proud to work alongside all of you, as well as with AAPS Superintendent Jeanice Swift, to ensure all families feel included in Michigan’s public schools!
And remember: Count Day is just the start of a month-long count process – your district and school will not be negatively affected by one missed day on Yom Kippur.
L’shana tova and g’mar chatima tova. Wishing you a sweet year!
Original message: September 18, 2022
Dear Community Members,
As many of you are aware, the Michigan-wide school Count Day, established by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), has been set for this coming Yom Kippur, Wednesday, October 5. This has created significant concern for local families who receive strong communications year after year about the importance of attendance on Count Day and its impact on state funding for local school districts.
Upon learning of this conflict, the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, along with numerous parents and community rabbis, reached out to the leadership of the Ann Arbor Public School District (AAPS).
AAPS School Superintendent, Jeanice Swift expressed her strong objection to MDE scheduling Count Day on any religious holiday and has taken several steps in recent weeks to engage on the matter with officials of MDE. AAPS requested a waiver from the MDE to move count day in AAPS to Thursday, October 6. Unfortunately, this waiver was denied, as AAPS will be in session on October 5. In a statement to district families, Superintendent Swift stated “we are forced by the State to betray our fundamental core values, policy, practices, and most importantly, tarnish our shared commitment to respect, embrace and celebration of all in our Ann Arbor community.”
In their statement to families, AAPS is emphasizing that fall count is an administrative, required function of the district established by the State that occurs over several days in October. There is not any requirement for attendance on a single day to fulfill the official count. Students may miss school on a day for many appropriate reasons and certainly should participate in religious observance, remain home when they have symptoms of illness or for any excused absence. Further, they stated that “what matters most in our school community is that all our students, staff and families are fully seen and understand that they count with us on every day in the AAPS.” Read the full AAPS statement here.
In addition to outreach and advocacy with AAPS, Federation sent e-mails to all Washtenaw County school district superintendents alerting them to the situation and encouraging them to communicate proactively and clearly with their families that observing Yom Kippur will not negatively impact their students nor the district. We have received several supportive replies. Parents who have concerns about Count Day communications and policies in districts outside AAPS should contact Hilary Greenberg for assistance.
Federation also contacted Michigan State Representatives and Senators asking them to advocate with MDE to avoid scheduling Count Day on religious holidays and to communicate with districts statewide regarding their options for counting enrollment beyond Count Day. There has been advocacy on the part of our legislators to address the situation this year as well as to ensure that these conflicts do not arise in the future.
The Jewish Federation is grateful for the strong partnership with our community rabbis and for the robust response of our school superintendents and state legislators in addressing this conflict that has been so distressing to Jewish parents in our area.