MCPS Removes Religious Holiday Designations from School Calendar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/on-religious-holidays-montgomery-school-board-offers-a-lesson-in-intolerance/2014/11/13/d0b58c72-6b60-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html

Did anyone read this article from the Wash Post? It's a really good sum-up.

"Those parents have been asking for years — without success — to have at least one of their two major holidays recognized. Then they realized that Montgomery schools will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, because it’s Yom Kippur. That happens to be the same day as Eid al-Adha.

So the Muslim parents asked the school to simply add the name of their holiday to the school calendar. Instead of saying, “Hmm, interesting,” the school board wigged out and voted to eliminate all names of religious holidays from the calendar."

Again, I'm an American, a Muslim, a mom, a room mother at my MCPS school, and a physician in this area. I feel like I serve my community every day. I am deeply saddened to see the hatred and ignorance on this thread,

I wonder if anyone would say these things to my face - or if, in the situation where I am helping their child's teacher - or helping them in a medical emergency - if at that moment, it's ok that I'm brown...

Frankly, no one cares if you are brown! we do care that many in your religion hate everyone else and would kill us in a heartbeat if given the opportunity-yu and I both know that if a bunch of Jews or Christians pulled this in the Mibble easwt they would be jailed or shot! That is the sad reality-the Muslims should be greatful they are living in our free country and not try to turn it into the same mess they fled from. Assimilate, or do your own thing and shut up is my motto. Dearborn Michigan is a disaster zone thanks to the US giving the Muslims too much power. We do not want to live in the Middle East just as much as you do not want to live there-we definitely do not want to turn our country into a model of Saudi Arabia!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/on-religious-holidays-montgomery-school-board-offers-a-lesson-in-intolerance/2014/11/13/d0b58c72-6b60-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html

Did anyone read this article from the Wash Post? It's a really good sum-up.

"Those parents have been asking for years — without success — to have at least one of their two major holidays recognized. Then they realized that Montgomery schools will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, because it’s Yom Kippur. That happens to be the same day as Eid al-Adha.

So the Muslim parents asked the school to simply add the name of their holiday to the school calendar. Instead of saying, “Hmm, interesting,” the school board wigged out and voted to eliminate all names of religious holidays from the calendar."

Again, I'm an American, a Muslim, a mom, a room mother at my MCPS school, and a physician in this area. I feel like I serve my community every day. I am deeply saddened to see the hatred and ignorance on this thread,

I wonder if anyone would say these things to my face - or if, in the situation where I am helping their child's teacher - or helping them in a medical emergency - if at that moment, it's ok that I'm brown...

Frankly, no one cares if you are brown! we do care that many in your religion hate everyone else and would kill us in a heartbeat if given the opportunity-yu and I both know that if a bunch of Jews or Christians pulled this in the Mibble easwt they would be jailed or shot! That is the sad reality-the Muslims should be greatful they are living in our free country and not try to turn it into the same mess they fled from. Assimilate, or do your own thing and shut up is my motto. Dearborn Michigan is a disaster zone thanks to the US giving the Muslims too much power. We do not want to live in the Middle East just as much as you do not want to live there-we definitely do not want to turn our country into a model of Saudi Arabia!

You're wrong. You're wrong, You're wrong, You would find that in most muslim countries, even countries with a fair amount of extremism, which is NOT Islam (but may be a product of our American international policies of the past)), Christians and Jews and Hindus are respected and their holidays would be considered. I have tons of family in Pakistan - my cousin's school has Christmas off as "Christmas" to acknowledge the holiday of the minority Christian students.

So, my friend, try learning about the Muslim world from something beyond CNN/Fox news, which only sensationalize extremism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New poster here. There is so much emotion surrounding this issue, and the decisionmakers failed to see that. They thought it was about listing a Muslim holiday (which was the modest request) but the slippery-slope people said, "But if we do that, we have to list every holiday..." so they took everything off, thus stirring up more anger and even prejudice than anyone anticipated. In DC, the calendar just reads, "No school--HOLIDAY" and perhaps Montgomery County should have gone that route. You can explain until you're blue in the face that the schools close for financial reasons--about 15 percent absenteeism among teachers, principals and staff on the Jewish High Holy Days--so that it makes financial sense to close rather than pay so much for substitute teachers. But I feel for those who don't have childcare on the Jewish holidays, and who might not have a lot of Jewish kids in the school (it's about the teaching staff, not the kids) and are greatly inconvenienced. Starr's suggestion that we just wipe the Jewish holidays off the calendar (but not the Christian ones) was very poor, and opened the door to this "fix."

I'm Jewish, and attended DC public schools, which couldn't care less about Jewish (or any other minority religious) holidays. I missed exams, field trips, important outside visits. When Muslims say, "it's hard when our kids miss school" I HEAR them. I've been there. I do think that Montgomery County acknowledges Muslim holidays by not scheduling important educational events on the holidays (assuming the teachers have sufficient advance notice), but it is a hardship on the kids and you feel ignored and disrespected. I felt that way in DC, and some years, when I heard teachers joking about how few students came to class, I felt that ignoring our High Holy Days was intentionally disrespectful (though it probably wasn't). I wish the board of ed had addressed this, and explained or laid out clear criteria going forward for the level of absenteeism required to close the school. Sure, it will be an arbitrary percentage. Yes, there will be some "fakes" who say they are observing the holiday when they are not. But the criterion for closing can and should be clear. The Smithsonian museums close on one day: Christmas. This doesn't mean they are "observing" Christmas. It means that so few people will come to the museums on that day that it doesn't make sense to open. They're not closing FOR Christmas--they're closing ON Christmas.

Finally, I'm so sorry that the board of ed has unintentionally stirred up so much religious animosity against Muslims, who face enough as it is. And every year I feel defensive and uncomfortable as I explain that the school isn't closing FOR the Jewish holiday, but ON the holiday for financial reasons. Maybe the county should do a survey asking which days the teachers plan to be absent, for religious reasons. Then there would be some data. There would be a little light. As it is, I don't think the heat will die down. The timing doesn't help, either. This becomes folded into the "war on Christmas." Ah, America.

Thanks for your post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/on-religious-holidays-montgomery-school-board-offers-a-lesson-in-intolerance/2014/11/13/d0b58c72-6b60-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html

Did anyone read this article from the Wash Post? It's a really good sum-up.

"Those parents have been asking for years — without success — to have at least one of their two major holidays recognized. Then they realized that Montgomery schools will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, because it’s Yom Kippur. That happens to be the same day as Eid al-Adha.

So the Muslim parents asked the school to simply add the name of their holiday to the school calendar. Instead of saying, “Hmm, interesting,” the school board wigged out and voted to eliminate all names of religious holidays from the calendar."

Again, I'm an American, a Muslim, a mom, a room mother at my MCPS school, and a physician in this area. I feel like I serve my community every day. I am deeply saddened to see the hatred and ignorance on this thread,

I wonder if anyone would say these things to my face - or if, in the situation where I am helping their child's teacher - or helping them in a medical emergency - if at that moment, it's ok that I'm brown...

Frankly, no one cares if you are brown! we do care that many in your religion hate everyone else and would kill us in a heartbeat if given the opportunity-yu and I both know that if a bunch of Jews or Christians pulled this in the Mibble easwt they would be jailed or shot! That is the sad reality-the Muslims should be greatful they are living in our free country and not try to turn it into the same mess they fled from. Assimilate, or do your own thing and shut up is my motto. Dearborn Michigan is a disaster zone thanks to the US giving the Muslims too much power. We do not want to live in the Middle East just as much as you do not want to live there-we definitely do not want to turn our country into a model of Saudi Arabia!

You're wrong. You're wrong, You're wrong, You would find that in most muslim countries, even countries with a fair amount of extremism, which is NOT Islam (but may be a product of our American international policies of the past)), Christians and Jews and Hindus are respected and their holidays would be considered. I have tons of family in Pakistan - my cousin's school has Christmas off as "Christmas" to acknowledge the holiday of the minority Christian students.

So, my friend, try learning about the Muslim world from something beyond CNN/Fox news, which only sensationalize extremism.

+1

[Anonymous]

First of all - there is no harm in acknowledging major holidays from all major religions. Even if you do have a religious holiday in school it is important to at least acknowledge and teach the children about these festivals.

We cannot ignore the religious diversity within our society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
First of all - there is no harm in acknowledging major holidays from all major religions. Even if you do have a religious holiday in school it is important to at least acknowledge and teach the children about these festivals.

We cannot ignore the religious diversity within our society.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/on-religious-holidays-montgomery-school-board-offers-a-lesson-in-intolerance/2014/11/13/d0b58c72-6b60-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html

Did anyone read this article from the Wash Post? It's a really good sum-up.

"Those parents have been asking for years — without success — to have at least one of their two major holidays recognized. Then they realized that Montgomery schools will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, because it’s Yom Kippur. That happens to be the same day as Eid al-Adha.

So the Muslim parents asked the school to simply add the name of their holiday to the school calendar. Instead of saying, “Hmm, interesting,” the school board wigged out and voted to eliminate all names of religious holidays from the calendar."

Again, I'm an American, a Muslim, a mom, a room mother at my MCPS school, and a physician in this area. I feel like I serve my community every day. I am deeply saddened to see the hatred and ignorance on this thread,

I wonder if anyone would say these things to my face - or if, in the situation where I am helping their child's teacher - or helping them in a medical emergency - if at that moment, it's ok that I'm brown...

Frankly, no one cares if you are brown! we do care that many in your religion hate everyone else and would kill us in a heartbeat if given the opportunity-yu and I both know that if a bunch of Jews or Christians pulled this in the Mibble easwt they would be jailed or shot! That is the sad reality-the Muslims should be greatful they are living in our free country and not try to turn it into the same mess they fled from. Assimilate, or do your own thing and shut up is my motto. Dearborn Michigan is a disaster zone thanks to the US giving the Muslims too much power. We do not want to live in the Middle East just as much as you do not want to live there-we definitely do not want to turn our country into a model of Saudi Arabia!

You're wrong. You're wrong, You're wrong, You would find that in most muslim countries, even countries with a fair amount of extremism, which is NOT Islam (but may be a product of our American international policies of the past)), Christians and Jews and Hindus are respected and their holidays would be considered. I have tons of family in Pakistan - my cousin's school has Christmas off as "Christmas" to acknowledge the holiday of the minority Christian students.

So, my friend, try learning about the Muslim world from something beyond CNN/Fox news, which only sensationalize extremism.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/11/05/361740085/christian-couple-killed-by-mob-in-latest-pakistan-blasphemy-case

From the article: Pakistan's blasphemy laws are also a source of concern among human rights organizations and others. Activists say anyone who is accused can be arrested on flimsy evidence, and detained for years without bail.


Yes, Pakistan is so very tolerant. Or is NPR also a news outlet that sensationalized extremism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/on-religious-holidays-montgomery-school-board-offers-a-lesson-in-intolerance/2014/11/13/d0b58c72-6b60-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html

Did anyone read this article from the Wash Post? It's a really good sum-up.

"Those parents have been asking for years — without success — to have at least one of their two major holidays recognized. Then they realized that Montgomery schools will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, because it’s Yom Kippur. That happens to be the same day as Eid al-Adha.

So the Muslim parents asked the school to simply add the name of their holiday to the school calendar. Instead of saying, “Hmm, interesting,” the school board wigged out and voted to eliminate all names of religious holidays from the calendar."

Again, I'm an American, a Muslim, a mom, a room mother at my MCPS school, and a physician in this area. I feel like I serve my community every day. I am deeply saddened to see the hatred and ignorance on this thread,

I wonder if anyone would say these things to my face - or if, in the situation where I am helping their child's teacher - or helping them in a medical emergency - if at that moment, it's ok that I'm brown...

Frankly, no one cares if you are brown! we do care that many in your religion hate everyone else and would kill us in a heartbeat if given the opportunity-yu and I both know that if a bunch of Jews or Christians pulled this in the Mibble easwt they would be jailed or shot! That is the sad reality-the Muslims should be greatful they are living in our free country and not try to turn it into the same mess they fled from. Assimilate, or do your own thing and shut up is my motto. Dearborn Michigan is a disaster zone thanks to the US giving the Muslims too much power. We do not want to live in the Middle East just as much as you do not want to live there-we definitely do not want to turn our country into a model of Saudi Arabia!

You're wrong. You're wrong, You're wrong, You would find that in most muslim countries, even countries with a fair amount of extremism, which is NOT Islam (but may be a product of our American international policies of the past)), Christians and Jews and Hindus are respected and their holidays would be considered. I have tons of family in Pakistan - my cousin's school has Christmas off as "Christmas" to acknowledge the holiday of the minority Christian students.

So, my friend, try learning about the Muslim world from something beyond CNN/Fox news, which only sensationalize extremism.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/11/05/361740085/christian-couple-killed-by-mob-in-latest-pakistan-blasphemy-case

From the article: Pakistan's blasphemy laws are also a source of concern among human rights organizations and others. Activists say anyone who is accused can be arrested on flimsy evidence, and detained for years without bail.


Yes, Pakistan is so very tolerant. Or is NPR also a news outlet that sensationalized extremism?

Pretty sure PP wasn't touting Pakistan as a bastion of tolerance. Rather just saying that the way people were presenting the treatment of religious minorities in Muslim countries was not wholly accurate.

That being said, I think religious groups are better treated in countries with secular governments (as the US is supposed to be), and I don't think the US should go around comparing itself to governments based in religious laws and using them as a standard of measure. We expect better of ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/on-religious-holidays-montgomery-school-board-offers-a-lesson-in-intolerance/2014/11/13/d0b58c72-6b60-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html

Did anyone read this article from the Wash Post? It's a really good sum-up.

"Those parents have been asking for years — without success — to have at least one of their two major holidays recognized. Then they realized that Montgomery schools will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, because it’s Yom Kippur. That happens to be the same day as Eid al-Adha.

So the Muslim parents asked the school to simply add the name of their holiday to the school calendar. Instead of saying, “Hmm, interesting,” the school board wigged out and voted to eliminate all names of religious holidays from the calendar."

Again, I'm an American, a Muslim, a mom, a room mother at my MCPS school, and a physician in this area. I feel like I serve my community every day. I am deeply saddened to see the hatred and ignorance on this thread,

I wonder if anyone would say these things to my face - or if, in the situation where I am helping their child's teacher - or helping them in a medical emergency - if at that moment, it's ok that I'm brown...

Frankly, no one cares if you are brown! we do care that many in your religion hate everyone else and would kill us in a heartbeat if given the opportunity-yu and I both know that if a bunch of Jews or Christians pulled this in the Mibble easwt they would be jailed or shot! That is the sad reality-the Muslims should be greatful they are living in our free country and not try to turn it into the same mess they fled from. Assimilate, or do your own thing and shut up is my motto. Dearborn Michigan is a disaster zone thanks to the US giving the Muslims too much power. We do not want to live in the Middle East just as much as you do not want to live there-we definitely do not want to turn our country into a model of Saudi Arabia!

You're wrong. You're wrong, You're wrong, You would find that in most muslim countries, even countries with a fair amount of extremism, which is NOT Islam (but may be a product of our American international policies of the past)), Christians and Jews and Hindus are respected and their holidays would be considered. I have tons of family in Pakistan - my cousin's school has Christmas off as "Christmas" to acknowledge the holiday of the minority Christian students.

So, my friend, try learning about the Muslim world from something beyond CNN/Fox news, which only sensationalize extremism.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/11/05/361740085/christian-couple-killed-by-mob-in-latest-pakistan-blasphemy-case

From the article: Pakistan's blasphemy laws are also a source of concern among human rights organizations and others. Activists say anyone who is accused can be arrested on flimsy evidence, and detained for years without bail.


Yes, Pakistan is so very tolerant. Or is NPR also a news outlet that sensationalized extremism?

Pretty sure PP wasn't touting Pakistan as a bastion of tolerance. Rather just saying that the way people were presenting the treatment of religious minorities in Muslim countries was not wholly accurate.

That being said, I think religious groups are better treated in countries with secular governments (as the US is supposed to be), and I don't think the US should go around comparing itself to governments based in religious laws and using them as a standard of measure. We expect better of ourselves.

Actually from her quote, that's exactly what she seemed to be saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

That being said, I think religious groups are better treated in countries with secular governments (as the US is supposed to be), and I don't think the US should go around comparing itself to governments based in religious laws and using them as a standard of measure. We expect better of ourselves.

This. Perfect!

[Anonymous]

I think it will not be hard to take a count of how followers from each religion are in MCPS. When a critical mass is reached for any religion, allow two religious holiday for that religion. Shorten the summer break appropriately to handle additional holidays. Allow schools to continue to provide paid daycare facilities on their premises for those kids who have working parents.

It is not hard. And it is better to embrace the diversity rather than ignore it.

[Anonymous]

Fall mini break-winter break-spring break and summer break-that is what is should be called. Or just call it administrative days. Even if they did this (and they sort of did), the Muslims will still find something to complain about-they are more entitled than the snobs of Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fall mini break-winter break-spring break and summer break-that is what is should be called. Or just call it administrative days. Even if they did this (and they sort of did), the Muslims will still find something to complain about-they are more entitled than the snobs of Bethesda.

Guess what, this is America! Some of those Bethesda snobs ARE Muslim.


Anyway, the mini-break/spring break/etc idea won't work. And that's not because of a sense of entitlement. The issue is that the Islamic calendar lunar and Eid moves up about 10-11 days each year. Eid-al-Adha is currently in the Fall and slowly moving into the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fall mini break-winter break-spring break and summer break-that is what is should be called. Or just call it administrative days. Even if they did this (and they sort of did), the Muslims will still find something to complain about-they are more entitled than the snobs of Bethesda.

Guess what, this is America! Some of those Bethesda snobs ARE Muslim.


Anyway, the mini-break/spring break/etc idea won't work. And that's not because of a sense of entitlement. The issue is that the Islamic calendar lunar and Eid moves up about 10-11 days each year. Eid-al-Adha is currently in the Fall and slowly moving into the summer.

and doubly entitled!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fall mini break-winter break-spring break and summer break-that is what is should be called. Or just call it administrative days. Even if they did this (and they sort of did), the Muslims will still find something to complain about-they are more entitled than the snobs of Bethesda.

Guess what, this is America! Some of those Bethesda snobs ARE Muslim.


Anyway, the mini-break/spring break/etc idea won't work. And that's not because of a sense of entitlement. The issue is that the Islamic calendar lunar and Eid moves up about 10-11 days each year. Eid-al-Adha is currently in the Fall and slowly moving into the summer.

and doubly entitled!