Massachusetts: Public Schools grant Muslim student a day off on Eid Al-adha

Fez- On a cold winter day of Cleveland- Ohio, an American friend who happened to be driving me to Westside Market within the city glimpsed a catchy billboard.

Since I was not the one behind the steering wheel, I glued sight on the big capital letters forming the statement: AMERICA IS A CHRISTIAN country. I still remember neither concurred with what that board said. My friend is Jew and I am a Muslim. This was few years ago.

Today, the Revere public schools in Massachusets approved our (my friend’s and mine) standpoint from the content of that Billboard. The Revere Public schools took a leading initiation to grant the students a Holy day on Eid Al Adha (a Muslim celebrated- day of Sacrifice), which falls this year on the 15^th of October.

The school board (administrators and school committee) reached a unanimous decision to modify the holy days calendar for this Academic year. Good Friday (April 18^th, 2014) will not be the only religious day off for students. The Jewish Rosh Hashanah (September 5^th, 6^th) and the Muslim Eid Al Adha (one day off) will make the total religious days off grow to four.

The Decision was reached based on the conspicuous growing number of the Muslim community in the school district. Last year, a major problem of absenteeism among Muslim students happened on Eid Al Adha when kids preferred to spend the day with their families to celebrate the Holy Day.

Last year, it was Cambridge Public Schools and this year it is Revere Public Schools that recognize the religious holidays of the multi-cultural community. The experience is expected to get cloned in many other school districts and with this recognition the Muslim community is amply satisfied.