NY public schools add two Muslim holidays to school calendar

Rasa - the New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina announced that the New York City public schools will now close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

News ID: 2203

Date: 05 March 2015 - 14:59

RNA - According to local sources, the New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina announced that the New York City public schools have added two Muslim holidays of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr to the school calendar.

The announcement was made at PS/IS 30 in Brooklyn, following the officials announcement that 36 percent of students were absent the last time Eid al-Adha fell on a school day.

Schools will now close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, making New York City the largest school district in the nation to recognize the two holidays on the official school calendar.

“We are committed to having a school calendar that reflects and honors the extraordinary diversity of our students,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina.

“We’re here today to make good on a promise to our Muslim brothers and sisters that a holiday of supreme importance to the Muslim community will be recognized in our school calendar so that children can honor the holiday without missing school,” the mayor said.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said: “This decision allows our city’s Muslim community to fully practice their faith without it interfering with their school attendance and education. As I have said in the past, by recognizing these two important holidays, we show that not only are we welcoming to everyone’s religious beliefs but that we respect everyone’s Constitutional right to freedom of religion.”

Eid al-Adha will be observed for the first time on Sept. 24. Eid-al-Fitr, which falls over the summer, will be designated a holiday for those attending summer school.

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