CA Religious Schools Granted Relief from Newsom School Closure

In an October 28 ruling, a federal judge granted several California religious schools relief from Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s school closure order.

In August, three Los Angeles Jewish schools — Gindi Maimonides Academy, Samuel A. Fryer Yavneh Hebrew Academy and Yeshiva Rav Isacsohn Toras Emes Academy — were among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Newsom’s order closing both public and private schools that month. The Christian Post reported that the lawsuit argued that Newsom’s order amounted to a religious liberty violation because “tens of thousands of childcare facilities are open for business in the same jurisdictions where religious schools are prevented from opening. Defendants made no effort to discern whether a more tailored, individualized approach to school opening would achieve the same public health outcome while being more protective of fundamental religious liberties.”

U.S. District Court Judge John A. Kronstadt ruled that the plaintiffs’ motion provided “sufficient good cause” for “requested relief.” Consequently, religious schools can reopen so long as they comply with the state’s reopening guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Religious schools can also offer religious services, so as long as they comply with the state’s guidelines on the matter.

However, counties can still impose “stricter regulations” on religious schools reopening, Kronstadt ruled.

Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn, rav and dean Yavneh Hebrew Academy, said in a statement to the Journal, “Yavneh is very pleased to have been able to reach a mutually agreeable resolution with the State that provides a path under state law for resumption of in-person education while protecting student and faculty health and well-being. We appreciate Governor Newsom’s office’s openness to engage in this constructive dialogue.”