Christmas and Easter fall during winter and spring breaks. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the two most religious holidays on the Jewish calendar, are granted off-days by Montgomery County Public Schools.
Montgomery County Councilman George Leventhal thinks two additional high holidays should be added to that list.
Leventhal wrote to MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr and Board of Education President Shirley Brandman on May 23 urging the school system to "provide two school closing days each school year in order for American Muslim members of our community to observe Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr, the two most significant holidays in the Muslim calendar," according to a report by Maryland Juice.
Currently, the two holidays are designated as non-testing days for MCPS and Muslim students' absences are excused.
"Thousands of our neighbors fill mosques throughout the county for religious observement and deserve the same recognition of their most sacred holidays that other faiths enjoy," Leventhal wrote in his letter to Starr and Brandman.
In response to the letter, MCPS spokesperson Dana Tofig said the school system would consider a change.
"We appreciate Councilman Leventhal’s letter and will certainly take it under consideration during our calendar-setting process, which includes parents, community members and staff," Tofig told Patch in an email. "As a school district, we embrace and celebrate our diversity and are committed to ensuring that all religious faiths are respected.
"MCPS will continue to respect the rights of our students and staff to observe religious holidays and customs. If a student is absent due to observance of a religious holiday, it is considered an excused absence."
SPEAK OUT: Should MCPS make adjustments to its future school calendars to give an off-day recognizing the two most religious Muslim holidays? Tell us in the comments.
I will remind you again that these days are not lost, they are replaced, remember that?
"I will remind you again that these days are not lost, they are replaced, remember that?" Not once did anyone ever say that those days are lost....not once. That was never the discussion.....
They will not be reasonable, they will not compromise, they will continue to lie, they will continue to demand special treatment. They will never mainstream. They will never subordinate their religious beliefs to the betterment of our secular state. I am enjoying my evening, drinking an adult beverage, listening to music. I respectfully suggest that you do the same. This "stuff" is the result of a failed immigration policy. And we will be paying a huge price for a long time.
You said these days will be taken away, means the same as lost to me.
It was about time you come out man! It is interesting that all these comments are comming from someone who entered this debate asking if Israel has the right to exist, as Israel has anything to do with MCPS policies. From your very first post you stated your intention without saying it, and you want to suggest that somebody else is being dishonest? Hoooo Hypocrisy, when you get people....... I knew it was just a matter of time before you show who you really are, these racist and anti-immigrant comments of yours will not make you more american as they won't make us less american. At least you are coming to realize you cannot do anything about somethings, you may not like it but you cannot do absolutly anything that is not in accordance with the laws of the land. So you can either calm down and stay cool, or you can keep on living with hate and racism and islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiments, but they will take you nowhere.
There is nothing racist is anything I have posted, now or in the past. I am opposed to illegal immigration. The failed immigration policy comes about as allowing people into the United States who willfully fail to embrace the laws and ideals of America. You brought up Israel again. And again, I support the right of Israel to exist as a peaceful, independent nation state and as a safe and secure homeland for the Jews. You are quick to condemn and label. Condemning and labeling are part of the arsenal of the extremist. For your information you may view all my past comments by clicking on my name.
First nobody is supporting illegal immigration here, what does this proposal has to do with illigale immigration anyway? You were the one who brought Israel in this debate, asking us if those who support this proposal support Israel's right to exist, did you forget or are you being dishonest again? Now you want to pretend that i am the one bringing Israel in this debate? What does it have to do with this proposal if not for a dishonets move on your part? I am just reminding you in case you forgot that you were dishonest since your very first post for trying a manouever we understand perfectly, but i will wait until you get to the point and i will let you know what i think about it. If you think that living is this country while practicing our religion means failing to embrace the laws and ideals of America, then you don't know much about the laws and ideals of America then. Go hit the books of history and find out what America has been about since its creation, people like you want to rewrite history and make it your own, your ideals are not America's ideals my friend, don't confuse things. Truth is you cannot stand people who advocate for their faiths, and you want to call someone else an extremist? unbelievable. Even though you are not saying what your real problem is, we know what's troubling you, i will wait until you say it openly and then i will address it accordingly.
"You said these days will be taken away, means the same as lost to me." For the pay period.....numbskull.....for the pay period. Every time I mentioned it I put my answer in that context. Remember this? Let's try another example: Christmas week break......10 month employees will get Christmas Day with pay, the other 4 days are without pay for that pay period. This year they are lucky, they will get Christmas Eve also because Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday. I take it you will NOT believe this? Let's try another one: Easter week break......10 month employees will get or got Good Friday and Easter Monday with pay, the other 4 days are or were without pay. I take it you won't believe that either. Remember this? "One last time......the loss of pay of 1 or 2 days will impact the paychecks at that specific time in history for those employees. For salaried employees the impact is not felt, for hourly employees it is." Remember this? Let's try this again: 40 takeaway 8 = 32 80 takeaway 8 = 72 (for those on a bi-weekly pay schedule) AMF....
:-) LOL I am thinking you must be a numbskull too, so no need for me to keep repeating myself.
Exact.
I definitly enjoyed your comments, but you are just not addressing the subject, and you are seriously starting to sound like a broken record. "Just like spoiled little brats, give you an inch and you want a mile" Well, this proposal is not asking for "a mile", just what's already happening for other religious holidays. And i know you meant everything you said so far, but most of them don't make sense and are not even related to the subject. Take a rest my friend, you need it :-) LOL
You are correct in your evaluation. You are a wise man..........
"Also, while we are at it, maybe we need to add Chinese New Year, Muslim New Year, Israeli New Year and so on, to the days off?" Ah, the irony! What Mr. Allen refers to as "Israeli New Year" -- Rosh Hashanah -- is already an MCPS holiday.
perhaps you are new to the area, but dc has more whiners than any-freakin-where in america. by that, i'm mean self-important silly peeps whose mommies told them they were more special than anyone else. sadly, they believed it. welcome to whiney-ville, usa, sweetheart!
We will free ourselves from the ignorances and barbarisms of ancient superstitions and usher in a new golden age. It would be one of the largest leaps forward in human history.
It is hard to deny Muslims their holidays on the grounds that "we can't do it for everyone" as Muslims are quite numerous in population, in fact their are far more of them than Jews. So it would seem arbitrary to deny them but not Christians or Jews. We probably can't avoid a blanket holiday for Christmas since everything else is closed, but to the vast majority of Americans, Christmas is a secular "santa clause" day and not a holy day, even among believers.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/calendars/printable/SchoolCalendar1213.pdf Maybe educate yourself a bit before whining, next time.