From the Gazette, September 18, 2013 (thanks to J. Christian Adams)
Group asks staff, students to stay home, celebrate Eid al-Adha on Oct. 15A 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.Eid al-Adha marks the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadan, according to the coalition’s website.The issue was discussed by the county Board of Education in November 2012, when it opted not to close school on the Muslim holidays after parents and community leaders requested it.