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Discussion

Religious Conflicts/Observances

So, the school I am attending has scheduled finals on Good Friday. I am from a rather strict Christian denomination, and have asked the only professor with an exam that day for consideration. Mind you, I specifically stated the religious observance, and requested not to take the final later, but earlier!

It's been a week and I have yet to receive a response.

Anyone have any experience with these matters?

Featured Replies

  • Expert

I had jury duty and informed the instructor. He said for me to refuse the jury duty and take his final instead. My father died. My mother needed my presence immediately. I went home. My nursing instructors were accommodating except for the one who was the department head. He told me school was more important and that he should fail me in the course because I missed his midterm. You should have seen the looks on the faces of the office personnel as I left his office. He relented eventually, but not before I experienced the trauma of believing my nursing education was over. People are like that. They all think their priorities are the only priorities. The best you can do is to contact her again to find out the answer and then deal with that answer.

    •

    Did you ask in person or via email/portal? If not in person I'd start there; technology is imperfect and something could have happened. In any case I'd ask again before taking it further.

    Does your school have a diversity council you could reach out to? Ask the school (your prof, dept chair, diversity resources etc.) what Jewish students have historically done on high holy days? If any accommodations for other religious observances, I would think they would need to make similar accommodations for Good Friday

    • Author

    caliotter3 that sounds terrible! I'm so sorry you had to go through that, and I am sorry for your loss. I lost my father and brother, so I know how traumatic it can be, including the added academic stress.

    Here.I.Stand

    She does not have an office or phone on campus. Email is her only contact, as the class is online. I fully explained the schedule for our high holy days, and asked to take the exam 2 days in advance in order not to break my doctrine. I am not sure if they have a diversity council, but I will look into it. Additionally, I do know that Jewish students are allowed accommodations on high holy days. I see her point that it is a fundamental class and her concern for the integrity of the exam to keep things on the schedule. However, since it uses a lockdown browser it should not be an issue. She may have an issue with the college since they have mandatory reading days, and exams are not allowed to be given during reading days.

    I'm wondering what your plans are for after school? Most jobs involve working on holidays. And, even the more orthodox sects and denominations make exceptions for necessary work.

    • Expert
    I had jury duty and informed the instructor. He said for me to refuse the jury duty and take his final instead. My father died. My mother needed my presence immediately. I went home. My nursing instructors were accommodating except for the one who was the department head. He told me school was more important and that he should fail me in the course because I missed his midterm. You should have seen the looks on the faces of the office personnel as I left his office. He relented eventually, but not before I experienced the trauma of believing my nursing education was over. People are like that. They all think their priorities are the only priorities. The best you can do is to contact her again to find out the answer and then deal with that answer.

    I would report that department head to his superiors. A death in the immediate family puts you in a frame of mind not generally good for taking exams. I have never heard of anyone refusing an accommodation in such a circumstance. This schmo has no business treating students with such cruelty.

    •
    • Expert
    I'm wondering what your plans are for after school? Most jobs involve working on holidays. And, even the more orthodox sects and denominations make exceptions for necessary work.

    I have worked with Orthodox Jews who did not work Friday sundown through Saturday sundown. They made up for this by working every Sunday. Until someone complained that they never worked a full weekend. Then what resulted was up to the individual manager, I suppose. One manager offered the person complaining to be off every Sunday in exchange for working every Saturday. Said offer was refused, LOL. There are also, as you said, ways for school or work to be deemed kosher (LOL) when absolutely required.

    So, OP, check with your religious leader to see about either standing up for you by communicating with your professor, or get your leader to tell you how to go about meeting the requirements of your religious group and those of school.

    You really should think through what you will do in the future if school or work absolutely requires that you must work on Good Friday, Resurrection Day, other high holy days. In a line of work where human lives are at stake, somebody does have to be on duty 24/7/365. Sometimes that will probably be you.

    No it isn't pleasant to have to make these adjustments and alterations in your life, but it's best to start thinking about having to do so. Best wishes.

    I'm wondering what your plans are for after school? Most jobs involve working on holidays. And, even the more orthodox sects and denominations make exceptions for necessary work.

    Very true. I personally am a devout Christian and work half of Sundays, half of Christmases, whatever Easter/Holy Week shifts fall on my schedule.

    However, there is a critical need. Hospitals, SNFs, etc don't close, and people don't stop needing care. An exam for school on the other hand, doesn't have to be administered on Good Friday. Accommodating that is much more reasonable than accommodating a weekly occurring Sabbath or every religious holiday in the work world.

    • Expert
    You really should think through what you will do in the future if school or work absolutely requires that you must work on Good Friday, Resurrection Day, other high holy days. In a line of work where human lives are at stake, somebody does have to be on duty 24/7/365. Sometimes that will probably be you.

    And OP will find that a majority of religious clergy will grant dispensations (exceptions) for those healthcare providers who do end up having to work on holy days/holidays. After all, it's not as though every patient in the hospital suddenly gets better and checks out the day before the weekend/holiday. Nope, they're still there and needing care.

    Being too restrictive in when OP can work will limit their job options after graduation. OP will need to keep in mind that many nursing jobs are, as already mentioned, 24/7/365. Staff are hired with the expectation that they will have to regularly work weekends and holidays...and no, that's not religious discrimination in action.

    What troubles me about this type of religiosity is that, as an ideal, the devout religious person should want to draw others into closeness with the Lord. But, then, in trying to meets the requirements of prescribed observance, they call upon the less religious to work on these holy days.

    It's like the churchgoers who make it a part of their Sunday ritual to eat brunch after Mass or Services, thus requiring, and depending on others to work on Sunday.

    • Author

    Wow, I'm offended beyond belief by some of the comments questioning "my future choices". I won't lower myself to your level to tell you what I think of you attacking someone's entire character and credibility because they want one single accomodation in an academic setting, where others are regularly afforded exemptions for the same reason.

    Obviously I know that going into clinicals in the fall, this may be my only opportunity to celebrate with all the traditions intact, and it is really important to me, because I have lost my immediate family. This is the the one thing of my childhood that's left and I would really like to honor my parents and the momeories we have shared for one last time. I have not had this opportunity in 6 years because we do not have a parish nearby of my denomination, and I wanted to travel to my childhood home, and have the experience.

    •
    Wow, I'm offended beyond belief by some of the comments questioning "my future choices". I won't lower myself to your level to tell you what I think of you attacking someone's entire character and credibility because they want one single accomodation in an academic setting, where others are regularly afforded exemptions for the same reason.

    Obviously I know that going into clinicals in the fall, this may be my only opportunity to celebrate with all the traditions intact, and it is really important to me, because I have lost my immediate family. This is the the one thing of my childhood that's left and I would really like to honor my parents and the momeories we have shared for one last time. I have not had this opportunity in 6 years because we do not have a parish nearby of my denomination, and I wanted to travel to my childhood home, and have the experience.

    Offended "beyond belief"?

    OK...

    Can you please support that statement with a biblical reference/citation/scripture?

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