Eid Al Fitr & Eid Al Adha
New York Schools
Add 2 Holidays
for Muslim Kids
ISLAM NEWSROOM: DATELINE - May 17, 2015
NYC schools adding 2 Muslim holidays to calendar
Now You Can Add 2 More Holidays to New York's School Calendar
Fulfilling a pledge he made while running for City Hall, Mayor de Blasio announced Wednesday that public schools would be closed starting this year for two Muslim holidays.
Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Ramadan fast and falls in July this year, will result in the closing of summer school classes.
There also will be no classes on Sept. 24, during the regular school year, for Eid al-Adha, which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son.
The new holiday schedule will give students four vacation days in September — one for the Muslim fest, one for the Jewish high holy day of Yom Kippur and two for Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year,
“This is about respect for one of the great faiths of this earth,” de Blasio said at Brooklyn’s PS/IS 30, where 36 percent of students were absent the last time Eid al-Adha fell on a school day.
Officials said about 12% of New York City schools are Muslim children.
Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said the addition of the two Muslim holidays won’t mean fewer school days.
And since both holidays usually don’t fall on the same day each year, scheduling will vary on an annual basis.
