New York City, reflecting the people that actually live in it, recognizing Muslim school holidays

[G_j]

http://qz.com/356626/new-york-city-reflecting-the-people-that-actually-live-in-it-is-now-recognizing-muslim-school-holidays/

In recognition that New York City’s population of 8.5 million is nearly one-eighth Muslim, the city has announced that its public schools will close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha next school year.

In announcing the move, New York mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement: “We made a pledge to families that we would change our school calendar to reflect the strength and diversity of our city. Hundreds of thousands of Muslim families will no longer have to choose between honoring the most sacred days on their calendar or attending school.”

One hope is that the change will help regulate the pace of learning in classes when a large chunk of students is forced to miss school days for religious reasons. For instance, 36% of students were absent in one Brooklyn school the last time Eid al-Adha fell during the school week, according to the city’s press release. A Harvard study last year examining the impact of snow days on student learning found that students suffer more when there are scattered absences than when the entire class misses a day.

New York is following a number of other districts around the country that are recognizing Muslim holidays in different ways, as the American Muslim population continues to grow. For example, in 2011, one Michigan school district with a large Muslim population moved football practice to nights during Ramadan to allow players who fast during daylight hours to eat and hydrate before practice, according to the New York Times. A Connecticut school is offering excused absences and avoiding scheduling major tests or events on those days.

In certain parts of the country, this kind of flexibility is being applied to other religions. This week, Edison Township in New Jersey, where the population is 33% Indian and 8% Chinese, added both the Hindu holiday of Diwali and the Lunar New Year to its school holiday calendar. For the past few years, Diwali had been deemed a “professional development day,” or a day when faculty and staff work but students are given the day off, Edison’s board of education president Veena Iyer told Quartz. Now school employees, who increasingly reflect the student population, can celebrate Diwali, too.

..more..

[msongs]

1. public schools should not be closing down for any religious holidays. are they closing down for the

hindu? the satanists? the druids or the buddhists? no, only for those religions that cost them money

[Throd]

2. +1

[Nye Bevan]

7. So, school in session on Christmas Day? (nt)

[Arugula Latte]

3. Ugh.

So sick of the pandering to religion, be it Xtian, Muslim, whatever ...

[loyalsister]

4. Kudos

This atheist is happy to see the beliefs of Muslims in NY respected.

[Takket]

5. i don't know where the 1/8th muslim # came from

but NYC is about 2% muslim.

despite that, 10% of public school students in NYC are muslim.

I wonder why that is. More non-muslims turning away from public schools?

[dissentient]

6. I would like to see all religions get their own national holidays, not just Muslims

or Christians.

It is ridiculous how little holidays we get here in the U.S., compared to other countries.

[Nye Bevan]

8. I would like the first day of Kwanzaa to be a national holiday.

Because then, like many countries, not only would Christmas be a holiday but the day after Christmas would be a holiday too.

[AngryAmish]

9. That matches up with the first day of festivus

Is that the airing of the grievances?