But the city's Jewish parents soon realized Miles' new leadership had failed to incorporate Jewish High Holy Days holidays in both proposed academic calendars, including Rosh Hashanah, the start of the Jewish New Year, which begins Wednesday, Oct. 2 on sundown with synagogue services and ends Friday, Oct. 4 at nightfall.

Parents said the district put in a so-called "Fall Holiday" on Friday, Oct. 11—which aligns with Yom Kippur. However, they noted their families actually observed the holiest holiday in Judaism after sundown and so there's no real reason to keep their children home during the school day. In fact, many families prefer keeping their children in school during the daytime so they can better prepare feasts to break the traditional fast.

To Heather Lepow, a local restaurant owner whose teenage daughter attends Bellaire High School, the district had botched its attempts to create a school calendar fitting for Houston's growing Jewish community. "There's no reason for them to be off on October 11," Lepow said Monday. "It's just a random day. They're not doing anything for the Jewish community by giving us off that day."

In recent weeks, Houston's Jewish parents, families, rabbis and faith organizations have been sharing HISD's proposed school calendars on social media platforms and private WhatsApp groups. The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston posted notices on Facebook and Instagram recommending that taxpayers ask HISD to move the "Fall Holiday '' from the non-holiday of Oct. 11 to Oct. 3 in observance of Rosh Hashanah. Lepow and other parents agreed with the changes and submitted their comments online.