Mayor: Muslim Holy Days Shouldn't Be School Holidays

March 7, 2008

Author: BENJAMIN SARLIN

Source: The New York Sun

http://www.nysun.com/article/72533

Mayor Bloomberg is rejecting calls from lawmakers to make two Muslim holy days official school holidays, saying students cannot afford more days off.

"The truth of the matter is we need more children in school," Mr. Bloomberg said yesterday. "More, not less."

Council Member Robert Jackson of Manhattan, who is Muslim, and 12 co-sponsors introduced a resolution this year calling on the state to require that New York City students be given days off for the Muslim holidays of Eid Ul-Fitr, typically in October, and Eid Ul-Adha, which falls in December this year.