Atlantic City schools to recognize Islamic holidays

[NewGuy]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-nj--muslimholidays0528may28,0,7838157.story

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) _ Atlantic City has become the fourth school district in New Jersey to recognize Muslim holidays.

The city's board of education approved districtwide days off for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, two sacred Islamic holidays, for the upcoming school year.

Previously, under state law Muslim students and teachers were allowed to take off Islamic holidays without being penalized. According to Superintendent Fredrick P. Nickles, about 560 of the city's 7,800 children are Muslim.

Board member Cornell Davis, who is Muslim, called the decision "courageous" in light of current tensions between Americans and Islamic extremists.

"It shows a lot of character about us as Americans," Davis told The Press of Atlantic City.

Eid al-Fitr, a festival celebrating the breaking of the fast of Ramadan, will be observed on Nov. 15. Eid al-Adha, a festival of sacrifice and pilgrimage, will be observed on Jan. 21.

To fit the two holidays into the school calendar, officials reduced the number of days schools can take off for emergencies from six to four. That means if schools close for snow or other emergencies more than four days, the days would have to be made up during spring recess or on Saturdays in June, Nickles said.

School districts in Trenton, Paterson and Irvington already recognize Islamic holidays.

 

[Avatar4321]

This may be a problem when they take off the month of Rammadan

 

[Annie]

I think all Christian, Jewish, Wiccan, etc., holidays MUST also be observed.

 

[NewGuy]

Originally posted by Avatar4321
This may be a problem when they take off the month of Rammadan

Some jobs let them do it.

I know of a guy who just took a month off.

 

[William Joyce]

Hey, neat! Why don't we just fly the half-moon flag of Pakistan over the capitol in D.C.! Replace apple pie with chick pea mush! And change In God We Trust to In Allah We Trust.

 

[acludem]

I disagree with this decision on the grounds that public schools should only be recognizing secular holidays, or those that have been secularized like Christmas. I do, however, think Muslim students should be allowed to take these days off without penalty and teachers should be strongly encouraged not to schedule exams on religious holidays of any faith.

acludem

 

[HGROKIT]

...officials reduced the number of days schools can take off for emergencies from six to four. That means if schools close for snow or other emergencies more than four days, the days would have to be made up during spring recess or on Saturdays in June, Nickles said.

So let me see if I have this right. Becasue somone is pandering to a minority (less than 10% of those in the city's system) to be politically correct (I really dislike that phrase), everyone else has to suffer if there are snow days to be made up.

Why was it felt that there needed to be holidays added? The students and staff that claim Islam as their religion were already given the option of taking these days off without penalty.

What a bunch of crock! Other than Christmas, are there any other "religious holidays" observed? Been so long since I've been to school, I can't remember, but I don't think so.

 

[007]

Originally posted by William Joyce
Hey, neat! Why don't we just fly the half-moon flag of Pakistan over the capitol in D.C.! Replace apple pie with chick pea mush! And change In God We Trust to In Allah We Trust.

Little by little.... bit by bit.... so slowly no one hardly pays any atention, but what you said is exactly what's happening.

You younger people with your live and let live, don't offend anyone, pacifist, politically correct attitudes, YOU are the ones that will have to live with it. Just don't complain when the Islamics quit "asking" and start "telling" you what they're going to do. Because then it will be too late.