MoCo Councilmembers who Don't Pay Attention to the School Calendar, Push Back on MCPS Using Established Make-Up Day

[Anonymous]

I don't disagree that optics are bad to only cancel the Eid non-instructional day, while Jewish holidays, Lunar New Year and several Christian hoildays remain untouched. But--why didn't these councilmembers speak out when the calendar was approved with Eid as a designated makeup day? MCPS has 3 makeup days in the calendar and only 1 snow day, so MCPS is just doing what it said it would do.

For these councilmembers to say it's better to get a waiver the state of Maryland to not have the required amount of instructional days in lieu of cancelling the Eid non-instructional day, are saying it's better to shortchange all kids the required instructional time, because MCPS didn't plan adequate snow days and makeup days into its calendar.

These councilmembers should pay more attention to what's and give their opinions when decisions are being made, rather than coming in after the fact to complain.

Councilmembers Glass, Jawando and Mink
https://mocoshow.com/2026/02/06/councilmembers-criticize-mcps-decision-to-use-eid-as-make-up-day/

Councilmembers Push Back on MCPS Plan to Use Eid al-Fitr as Make-Up Day
Montgomery County Councilmembers are raising concerns about a decision by Montgomery County Public Schools to designate Eid al-Fitr as an instructional make-up day following weather-related closures.
Councilmember Evan Glass said using the Muslim holiday as a make-up day is troubling and sends the wrong message about inclusion and equity. In a statement, Glass noted that other major religious and cultural holidays, including Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, and Lunar New Year, are treated as non-instructional days, and said the situation could have been avoided with similar treatment for Eid al-Fitr.

Councilmember Will Jawando also criticized the proposal in a letter to the Board of Education, calling on school leaders to reverse the decision. Jawando said holding classes on Eid al-Fitr places Muslim students and families in a position of choosing between religious observance and school attendance. While acknowledging the challenges created by recent winter storms and state instructional requirements, he urged the district to pursue alternative solutions that do not require holding classes on religious holidays.

Councilmember Kristin Mink said she strongly disagrees with the proposal and expressed disappointment that Eid al-Fitr, March 20, would be designated as an instructional day. Mink said Montgomery County should prioritize equitable respect for cultural and religious holidays within the school calendar and that Muslim families should not be singled out to give up a previously recognized holiday to meet instructional requirements.

[Anonymous]

Because they are all for show and don't care about our kids education.

[Anonymous]

And it's an election year.

[Anonymous]

You’re right that Eid should never have been a makeup day in the first place, but I appreciate the council members efforts to try and get a waiver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't disagree that optics are bad to only cancel the Eid non-instructional day, while Jewish holidays, Lunar New Year and several Christian hoildays remain untouched. But--why didn't these councilmembers speak out when the calendar was approved with Eid as a designated makeup day? MCPS has 3 makeup days in the calendar and only 1 snow day, so MCPS is just doing what it said it would do.

For these councilmembers to say it's better to get a waiver the state of Maryland to not have the required amount of instructional days in lieu of cancelling the Eid non-instructional day, are saying it's better to shortchange all kids the required instructional time, because MCPS didn't plan adequate snow days and makeup days into its calendar.

These councilmembers should pay more attention to what's and give their opinions when decisions are being made, rather than coming in after the fact to complain.

Councilmembers Glass, Jawando and Mink
https://mocoshow.com/2026/02/06/councilmembers-criticize-mcps-decision-to-use-eid-as-make-up-day/

Councilmembers Push Back on MCPS Plan to Use Eid al-Fitr as Make-Up Day
Montgomery County Councilmembers are raising concerns about a decision by Montgomery County Public Schools to designate Eid al-Fitr as an instructional make-up day following weather-related closures.
Councilmember Evan Glass said using the Muslim holiday as a make-up day is troubling and sends the wrong message about inclusion and equity. In a statement, Glass noted that other major religious and cultural holidays, including Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, and Lunar New Year, are treated as non-instructional days, and said the situation could have been avoided with similar treatment for Eid al-Fitr.

Councilmember Will Jawando also criticized the proposal in a letter to the Board of Education, calling on school leaders to reverse the decision. Jawando said holding classes on Eid al-Fitr places Muslim students and families in a position of choosing between religious observance and school attendance. While acknowledging the challenges created by recent winter storms and state instructional requirements, he urged the district to pursue alternative solutions that do not require holding classes on religious holidays.

Councilmember Kristin Mink said she strongly disagrees with the proposal and expressed disappointment that Eid al-Fitr, March 20, would be designated as an instructional day. Mink said Montgomery County should prioritize equitable respect for cultural and religious holidays within the school calendar and that Muslim families should not be singled out to give up a previously recognized holiday to meet instructional requirements.

Right. So if you understand the equity problem, that the Muslim holiday is the only being singled out to be taken back, then why are you confused?

[Anonymous]

It's an election year, gotta take every opportunity to virtue signal by fighting for less education for all

[Anonymous]

This is so stupid.
The only religious holidays ghat should be non instructional days are the ones that sufficiently impact teacher attendance that it makes it infeasible to have classes. Eg if more than 10% of teachers will call out for a given holiday, it probably makes sense to give that as a non instructional day. Period. People need to stop feeling like this is a judgment on how important or respected their religion is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so stupid.
The only religious holidays ghat should be non instructional days are the ones that sufficiently impact teacher attendance that it makes it infeasible to have classes. Eg if more than 10% of teachers will call out for a given holiday, it probably makes sense to give that as a non instructional day. Period. People need to stop feeling like this is a judgment on how important or respected their religion is.

Right. Which would be fair, because that would be clear criteria and it would apply equally to all religious holidays.

But MCPS does not have a policy like the one you outlined and is instead stupidly singling out the Muslim holiday as a make-up day. It was a stupid move to have the make-up day fall on a known religious holiday in the first place.

[Anonymous]

There are a bunch of dumb virtue signalers. The sad thing is people still vote for them!

[Anonymous]

This is so obviously for show.

[Anonymous]

They need to either:
- select make up days that occur during the school year, not just useless added days at the end, that they are actually able to use
- build in more instructional days into the calendar

Everyone knows climate change is bringing more extreme weather, not leas

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't disagree that optics are bad to only cancel the Eid non-instructional day, while Jewish holidays, Lunar New Year and several Christian hoildays remain untouched. But--why didn't these councilmembers speak out when the calendar was approved with Eid as a designated makeup day? MCPS has 3 makeup days in the calendar and only 1 snow day, so MCPS is just doing what it said it would do.

For these councilmembers to say it's better to get a waiver the state of Maryland to not have the required amount of instructional days in lieu of cancelling the Eid non-instructional day, are saying it's better to shortchange all kids the required instructional time, because MCPS didn't plan adequate snow days and makeup days into its calendar.

These councilmembers should pay more attention to what's and give their opinions when decisions are being made, rather than coming in after the fact to complain.

Councilmembers Glass, Jawando and Mink
https://mocoshow.com/2026/02/06/councilmembers-criticize-mcps-decision-to-use-eid-as-make-up-day/

Councilmembers Push Back on MCPS Plan to Use Eid al-Fitr as Make-Up Day
Montgomery County Councilmembers are raising concerns about a decision by Montgomery County Public Schools to designate Eid al-Fitr as an instructional make-up day following weather-related closures.
Councilmember Evan Glass said using the Muslim holiday as a make-up day is troubling and sends the wrong message about inclusion and equity. In a statement, Glass noted that other major religious and cultural holidays, including Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, and Lunar New Year, are treated as non-instructional days, and said the situation could have been avoided with similar treatment for Eid al-Fitr.

Councilmember Will Jawando also criticized the proposal in a letter to the Board of Education, calling on school leaders to reverse the decision. Jawando said holding classes on Eid al-Fitr places Muslim students and families in a position of choosing between religious observance and school attendance. While acknowledging the challenges created by recent winter storms and state instructional requirements, he urged the district to pursue alternative solutions that do not require holding classes on religious holidays.

Councilmember Kristin Mink said she strongly disagrees with the proposal and expressed disappointment that Eid al-Fitr, March 20, would be designated as an instructional day. Mink said Montgomery County should prioritize equitable respect for cultural and religious holidays within the school calendar and that Muslim families should not be singled out to give up a previously recognized holiday to meet instructional requirements.

Right. So if you understand the equity problem, that the Muslim holiday is the only being singled out to be taken back, then why are you confused?

It’s confusing as to why no one complained when Eid was the only religious holiday to be made a makeup day, the calendar was officially approved with no one bringing up the issue of religious equity, but now people are complaining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so stupid.
The only religious holidays ghat should be non instructional days are the ones that sufficiently impact teacher attendance that it makes it infeasible to have classes. Eg if more than 10% of teachers will call out for a given holiday, it probably makes sense to give that as a non instructional day. Period. People need to stop feeling like this is a judgment on how important or respected their religion is.

Are there data on this? Do you think no Muslims work at McPS? Or do you only think Jewish people work for MCPS and not Muslims because those are the people you socialize with?

[Anonymous]

I seriously want all religious holidays to go away from school calendar so we can have normal winter breaks and summer breaks. They can take excused absence. Why everyone are forced to take days off?

[Anonymous]

I am a Muslim and I want my kid to go to school on Eid to make up the snow days. I also want my kid to go to school on other make up days. I don't want the lazy waiver thing.