Anonymous wrote:There are far more Hindus than Muslims in MOCO. Why not give them their holidays? Because its not an Abrahamic faith?

Really? How do you know this?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Jew in NOVA here whose kids aren't off for the Jewish holidays. We pull them out but have no issue with it. Muslim observers should do the same.

But in MCPS, which is the school system under discussion, the kids are off for the Jewish holidays, as well as the Christian ones.

If MCPS closes for Christian and Jewish holidays, which it does, this request by the Muslim community seems fair to me.

That doesn't even follow logically. How is it fair?

I'm the poster who said it seems fair. (I'm not the poster who asked you what pair of fair you don't understand, or whatever that was.) Islam is one of the three Abrahamic faiths; most people who identify as religious in MoCo probably identify as Christian, Jewish or Muslim, in that order.


MCPS closes on holidays associated with Christianity and Judaism. Why not honor this request as well?

How about Wicans? Why should they not get theirs?

Anonymous wrote:

I'm the poster who said it seems fair. (I'm not the poster who asked you what pair of fair you don't understand, or whatever that was.) Islam is one of the three Abrahamic faiths; most people who identify as religious in MoCo probably identify as Christian, Jewish or Muslim, in that order.

MCPS closes on holidays associated with Christianity and Judaism. Why not honor this request as well?

There are far more Hindus than Muslims in MOCO. Why not give them their holidays? Because its not an Abrahamic faith?

Anonymous wrote:So when are we adopting Sharia law?

Because closing MCPS schools for 2 major Muslim holidays, in addition to 2 major Christian holidays and 2 major Jewish holidays, is pretty much the same as declaring Islam the legally-established religion of the US?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jew in NOVA here whose kids aren't off for the Jewish holidays. We pull them out but have no issue with it. Muslim observers should do the same.

But in MCPS, which is the school system under discussion, the kids are off for the Jewish holidays, as well as the Christian ones.

If MCPS closes for Christian and Jewish holidays, which it does, this request by the Muslim community seems fair to me.

That doesn't even follow logically. How is it fair?

I'm the poster who said it seems fair. (I'm not the poster who asked you what pair of fair you don't understand, or whatever that was.) Islam is one of the three Abrahamic faiths; most people who identify as religious in MoCo probably identify as Christian, Jewish or Muslim, in that order.

MCPS closes on holidays associated with Christianity and Judaism. Why not honor this request as well?

Because there are very few Muslim students in the school and it would be disruptive. School goes late enough into June already -- I don't want to extend the year to accomodate a fractional minority. Why is that so hard to understand?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jew in NOVA here whose kids aren't off for the Jewish holidays. We pull them out but have no issue with it. Muslim observers should do the same.

But in MCPS, which is the school system under discussion, the kids are off for the Jewish holidays, as well as the Christian ones.

If MCPS closes for Christian and Jewish holidays, which it does, this request by the Muslim community seems fair to me.

That doesn't even follow logically. How is it fair?

I'm the poster who said it seems fair. (I'm not the poster who asked you what pair of fair you don't understand, or whatever that was.) Islam is one of the three Abrahamic faiths; most people who identify as religious in MoCo probably identify as Christian, Jewish or Muslim, in that order.

MCPS closes on holidays associated with Christianity and Judaism. Why not honor this request as well?

Stoning for adultery. Amputations for theft. Death for apostates. And second-class status for Christians and Jews. This is life under Sharia law, the Islamic system practiced in countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Great Britain.

Yes, Great Britain.

There are reportedly some 85 Sharia courts now operating there, with Islamic judges ruling on cases ranging from financial to marital disputes among British Muslims.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2012/November/Islamic-Sharia-Law-Comes-to-Great-Britain/

How much longer would you give US? 20 years? 30?

So when are we adopting Sharia law?

Anonymous wrote: Coalition wants Montgomery County schools to close on Muslim holidays
Group asks staff, students to stay home, celebrate Eid al-Adha on Oct. 15

http://www.gazette.net/article/20130918/NEWS/130919245/1262/coalition-wants-montgomery-county-schools-to-close-on-muslim-holidays&template=gazette


Now the Muslims want to have the schools closed. Next we will have the Asians with Tet and then some other group. Where is the end?

At least they are not asking for early dismissal EVERY Friday to attend mosque, like they are in Florida

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/329172.page


Personally, I think schools should give all students a few "excused absences" to use for religious holidays, and also make all religious holidays a non-testing day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jew in NOVA here whose kids aren't off for the Jewish holidays. We pull them out but have no issue with it. Muslim observers should do the same.

But in MCPS, which is the school system under discussion, the kids are off for the Jewish holidays, as well as the Christian ones.

If MCPS closes for Christian and Jewish holidays, which it does, this request by the Muslim community seems fair to me.

That doesn't even follow logically. How is it fair?

What don't you understand? (This question is only 20% snarky).

I don't understand why you equate fairness with equity. Do you normally do this? Because I spend an awful lot of time explaining to my children how fairness and equity are not the same concepts. It wouldn't be fair, for example, for everyone to pay the same tax rate. That might be "equal" but it's not fair.

So, again, explain how it follows, logically, that because large pluralities of a religious population are accomodated by the public school schedule that the same courtesy should be extended to followers of a faith that number fractionally, relatively speaking?

And there is zero snark in my response. That you felt the need to snark at all says a lot about you, none of it positive.

Anonymous wrote:Good God the panic and hysteria from people at the mere mention of Muslims is always amusing.

Also, OP, you could have at least spelled "Muslims" correctly in your title! :-/

And a BIG lol at this being a Christian nation... our forefathers left England because of zealots like you.

Setting aside the obvious that you missed the entire point about the observation that we are a Christian nation, I think you need to go back to history class.

Anonymous wrote:

Secondly, t's typically linked to most eastern orthodox Easter celebrations, but frequently does not coincide with Easter as celebrated in the west, since they follow the Gregorian calendar (which is solar), and not the Hebrew calendar (which is lunisolar).

Well.

Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox (March 21).

Western Easter is determined using the Gregorian calendar, so the Easter-determining March 21 is our regular March 21 (because we use the Gregorian calendar).

Eastern Easter is determined using the Julian calendar, so the Easter-determining March 21 is our regular April 3 (according to the Gregorian calendar).

Passover is on the 15th of Nisan (but the day starts the night before), which is a date in the Hebrew calendar, which is different from both the Julian and Gregorian calendars, which are Roman calendars.

(Thanks, Wikipedia.)

So,

western Easter: April 23, 2000; April 15, 2001; March 31, 2002; April 20, 2003; April 11, 2004
eastern Easter: April 30, 2000; April 15, 2001; May 5, 2002; April 27, 2003; April 11, 2004
Passover (starting the night before): April 20, 2000; April 8, 2001; March 28, 2002; April 17, 2003; April 6, 2004

But all of this is irrelevant anyway, because spring break is determined by Maryland law, which says that schools have to be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday, using the Gregorian calendar.

Anonymous wrote:

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Spring break in montgomery county is designed around the jewish passover more than the easter.

Passover and Easter tend to occur at the same time each year. (This is not a coincidence.) But while the state of Maryland does not have any laws about closing schools during Passover, it does have a law about closing schools on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

In short: no.

Passover is celebrated after sundown in any case.

Ok, first of all, Passover begins after sundown, but lasts for 8 full days. Secondly, t's typically linked to most eastern orthodox Easter celebrations, but frequently does not coincide with Easter as celebrated in the west, since they follow the Gregorian calendar (which is solar), and not the Hebrew calendar (which is lunisolar).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Spring break in montgomery county is designed around the jewish passover more than the easter.

Passover and Easter tend to occur at the same time each year. (This is not a coincidence.) But while the state of Maryland does not have any laws about closing schools during Passover, it does have a law about closing schools on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

In short: no.

Passover is celebrated after sundown in any case.

Anonymous wrote:
Spring break in montgomery county is designed around the jewish passover more than the easter.

Passover and Easter tend to occur at the same time each year. (This is not a coincidence.) But while the state of Maryland does not have any laws about closing schools during Passover, it does have a law about closing schools on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

In short: no.