Posted on 09/14/2009 11:13:51 PM PDT by Pontiac
Muslims groups here are pressing city officials to close public schools on two of the faith's holiest days, just as schools do for major Jewish and Christian holidays. But the groups have yet to persuade the man in charge of New York City schools, Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Muslim groups have asked the city to cancel classes on Eid Ul-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and Eid Ul-Adha, which marks the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
New York is one of many public-school systems now struggling with appropriate ways to recognize religious holidays for a diverse population. An estimated 100,000 Muslim children are enrolled in New York City schools, about 10% of the enrollment.
The matter has taken on a political aspect as Mr. Bloomberg, seeking a third term as mayor, has steadily courted the endorsement of a slew of ethnic groups. One city councilman said Muslims might withhold their votes if the mayor doesn't heed their wishes. Candidates are running in a primary Tuesday for the right to face Mr. Bloomberg, an independent, in the November election.
"This city is supposedly the most diverse city in the world. The city's laws and rules have to reflect that," said Councilman Robert Jackson, a Muslim from the borough of Manhattan. "I am hoping that pressure from the Muslim community will help Mayor Bloomberg decide, in the best interest of himself politically, to incorporate these two holidays."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Let’s see, there’s head chopping day, gay stoning day, oh, there’s that really great one called wife beating day. Then there is riot against cartoons day. What else... oh, here is one, child raping day. That one is important. Wait, how could I forget blow yourself up day?!
OK - but only if they allow Christian holidays in their countries - especially Saudi Arabia.
Do Catholics also get Holy Days of Obligation off from school?
This is getting crazy!
And atheists need Darwin Day or month, whatever. Christians don’t get any, Christmas is a secular holiday. Satanists will need Belthane, winter and spring solstice, Buddhists get about 25 festival days or more a year, and Chinese New Year. By the time they add them all up, there will be no school days
Pinging those from previous thread.
Actually, didn’t this happen in NY about the same time last year?
Usually Christmas and Good Friday but they don’t call them that anymore.
It is winter and spring break.
ROTFLOL! You got that right!
If it did I didn’t notice.
But then I am not a New Yorker.
The reason the public schools in New York City began to close on the two most major of Jewish holy days was that most of the city’s teachers at that time were Jewish and their absence for Rosh Ha’Shanah and Yom Kippur would have resulted in so few teachers present that it became untenable to try to find substitutes for them all to keep the schools open. And yes, a big chunk of the students were Jewish, too. These real factors are completely absent in the Muslim population of New YOrk...at least not yet.
Well each of the Muzzy sects have their own special holidays that are specific to them.
There could be some serious fighting if one sect gets its day and the other does not.
You left out crane-hanging-on-suspicions-of-being-gay day.
Is Obama’s birthday a national holiday yet ?
A little common sense from a Muslim Professor.
I don’t think it has gone national yet.
Only Ithaca, Boston and San Francisco so far I think.
There’s perpetual rage day—of course that one is 365.
No school—that could be a good thing.
sorry ment this one.
Let them secede and become a Caliphate without us.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.