Schools to observe Ramadan holiday?
Muslims seeking student day off asking board to adjust calendar
Posted: December 16, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern
2004 WorldNetDaily.com
A group of Muslims in Florida is hoping school officials add at least one day
off to the calendar so students can observe Islamic holidays.
The Tampa chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations made its case to
the Hillsborough County School Board this week, looking for Nov. 4, 2005, to be
made a non-student day in honor of Eid al-Fitr, a holy day marking the end of
Ramadan.
"How can you continue to ignore our needs, our holidays, our interests?''
16-year-old Mariam Osman, asked the board, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Another holy day, Eid al-Adha, is also being sought for recognition in January
2006.
"Our holidays go unnoticed,'' Ahmed Bedier, director of Tampa CAIR, said, as he
noted Muslim students watch classmates of other faiths enjoy their respective
holidays. He said the request for recognition is coming at this time because
"we're organized now.''
The Tribune reports the superintendent said that no religious holiday is
officially recognized, though some days off for students happen to fall on
religious holidays.
Ken Otero, assistant superintendent for the administration, told those in
attendance families had to provide a note from leaders of their faith to be
excused from classes on religious holidays.
"Why do they need a note? I'm a Christian and I take Christmas off,'' board
chairwoman Candy Olson asked.
CAIR claims some 30,000 Muslims live in the Tampa area, though it did not
provide a figure on the number of Islamic students in public schools.
The board held off on voting on a new school calendar until January, as it
instructed the district to look into the request.
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