I had heard about this issue rumbling around the state of New York for a while now but I got this concrete petition from my cousin over at Chill Yo Islam Yo and even heard about from my dad today. New York City has the nation’s largest school system. A 2008 study by Columbia University’s Teachers College estimates at least 10 percent of the city’s 1.1 million students are Muslim.
Supporters say the school board needs to be inclusive of the growing number of Muslim students in New York. Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke out against approving the holidays this week, saying it would open the door to other religious groups asking for days off. The Mayor seems to have no issues of celebrating Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur with two days off every year however…
As all of you might know already their has been aggressive efforts to make Eid al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha an observed school holiday. This comes by no surprise, since their are around 800,000 Muslim New Yorkers and about 10% percent of children who attend NYC public schools are Muslim.
Recently, the resolution was almost passed until Mayor Bloomberg pulled a stunt on the Muslim community and rejected it. His excuse? It will give too many days off for students when added to existing school holidays. Come on Mr.Mayor, keep it real! You’re jewish, listen to Rabbi Moshe Edelman.
Insh’Allah the resolution gets past and Mayor Bloomberg stops being shady, after all American Muslims are productive members of society as well.
chillyoislamyo.com, Chill Yo Islam Yo, Aug 2009
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Print it, sign it, do what you need to do with it to pass the word. You can send your signed copy to the following address:
The Honorable Micheal Bloomberg
Office of the Mayor
City Hall
New York, NY, 10007