06-03-2004, 11:02 AM
NJ: ATLANTIC CITY SCHOOLS TO RECOGNIZE ISLAMIC HOLIDAYS
Associated Press, 5/28/04
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-...0,7838157.story
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Atlantic City has become the fourth school districtin 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.
http://www.zabihah.com (international!)
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http://www.icna.org (& .com)
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