Group asks staff, students to stay home, celebrate Eid al-Adha on Oct. 15
By Lindsay A. Powers, Gazette.net
A coalition of local Muslims and others are urging Montgomery County Public Schools to close on two holidays, which the coalition’s co-chair, Saqib Ali, framed as a civil rights issue.
Besides an amended county school system calendar, the Equality for Eid Coalition — sponsored by the Maryland chapter of the Council of American Islamic Relations — wants students and staff members to skip school on Oct. 15 and instead celebrate Eid al-Adha.
Supporters can sign the coalition’s online petition at www.equality4eid.com. As of Monday, it had about 260 signatures.
The coalition, which formed about a year ago, also wants schools to close when classes conflict with another Muslim holiday, Eid al-Fitr. However, for at least the next three years, Eid al-Fitr will fall on days during the school system’s summer break.
Both Eid holidays fall on different days each year, as they follow the Islam lunar calendar. (Read more)