Boy, was this the wrong day to call my Fox News devotee father-in-law. Guy asks me how the weather up here was three separate times during a 15-minute conversation, but boy was he sure that this was just the worst thing ever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the Muslim community will now press their Muslim brothers in the middle east to show some respect towards Jews and Christians.

Nah - they don't care about other religions. I'm sure they are happy now that they got the Jewish and Christian holidays wiped off the calendar.

I am an AMERICAN Muslim and MCPS teacher. As an American who believes in democracy and free speech, I believe that the Muslim community had every right to advocate for the day off even though I never supported the idea. The community NEVER asked for the other holidays to be removed from the calendar. That was a decision made by the Board of Education NOT supported by the Muslim community.

MCPS Muslim parent here. I agree with the teacher. No one wanted the religious names removed from the calebdar . That was never the issue.

Also, I'd love to see some numbers of predicted absences county wide for each religion. I would accept whatever threshold MCPS imposes on being disruptive.

And the hate on this thread makes me nauseated. In an AMERICAN, a mom, a doctor in this community, and I'm a Muslim.

I have a feeling they won't release numbers because otherwise it'll encourage absences by setting up a "goal" for those who want their holidays observed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the Muslim community will now press their Muslim brothers in the middle east to show some respect towards Jews and Christians.

Nah - they don't care about other religions. I'm sure they are happy now that they got the Jewish and Christian holidays wiped off the calendar.

I am an AMERICAN Muslim and MCPS teacher. As an American who believes in democracy and free speech, I believe that the Muslim community had every right to advocate for the day off even though I never supported the idea. The community NEVER asked for the other holidays to be removed from the calendar. That was a decision made by the Board of Education NOT supported by the Muslim community.

MCPS Muslim parent here. I agree with the teacher. No one wanted the religious names removed from the calebdar . That was never the issue.

Also, I'd love to see some numbers of predicted absences county wide for each religion. I would accept whatever threshold MCPS imposes on being disruptive.

And the hate on this thread makes me nauseated. In an AMERICAN, a mom, a doctor in this community, and I'm a Muslim.

Anonymous wrote:The problem is America does want to support and respect other religions. The Muslims do not-I recall a news reoprt where they bitched about an easter egg hunt flyer coming home in their kids backpacks-if you don't wnat to go, throw it out. It seems they only approve of their own religion and therein lies the problem.

Just found the news report you're referring to: http://archive.freep.com/article/20140404/NEWS05/304040016/Muslim-parents-upset-over-flier-promoting-Easter-egg-hunt-at-church

First, "several Muslim parents" don't speak for an entire community.

Second, these parents were simply saying that this "egg hunt" in particular is being hosted by a church at a church so it infringes on division of Church and State. I'm a Muslim and love and egg hunt as much as the next person, but going to a church to participate is different than taking my kids to my husband's work that hosts one.

Third, voicing an opinion is not "bitching."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the Muslim community will now press their Muslim brothers in the middle east to show some respect towards Jews and Christians.

Nah - they don't care about other religions. I'm sure they are happy now that they got the Jewish and Christian holidays wiped off the calendar.

I am an AMERICAN Muslim and MCPS teacher. As an American who believes in democracy and free speech, I believe that the Muslim community had every right to advocate for the day off even though I never supported the idea. The community NEVER asked for the other holidays to be removed from the calendar. That was a decision made by the Board of Education NOT supported by the Muslim community.

I am sure the Muslims are thrilled about that though! (getting Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippor off the calendar especially).

Your certainty is ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the Muslim community will now press their Muslim brothers in the middle east to show some respect towards Jews and Christians.

Nah - they don't care about other religions. I'm sure they are happy now that they got the Jewish and Christian holidays wiped off the calendar.

I am an AMERICAN Muslim and MCPS teacher. As an American who believes in democracy and free speech, I believe that the Muslim community had every right to advocate for the day off even though I never supported the idea. The community NEVER asked for the other holidays to be removed from the calendar. That was a decision made by the Board of Education NOT supported by the Muslim community.

PP thanks for posting. Anyone with half a brain would know that Muslims would not ask for the names of Jewish holidays to be scrubbed.

I am a Christian and also think it's appropriate that they ask, and if the population in MCPS was very Muslim then we should have the holiday off. I know no Muslim's but in my area it seems like every other person is Jewish, so I can see the why the Jewish Holidays are taken off.

I think the issue lies more with the staff than the kids, kids can make up the work, but they probably could not get as many subs in.

Anonymous wrote:The problem is America does want to support and respect other religions. The Muslims do not-I recall a news reoprt where they bitched about an easter egg hunt flyer coming home in their kids backpacks-if you don't wnat to go, throw it out. It seems they only approve of their own religion and therein lies the problem.

I remember Christians who killed pregnant women going into clinics.

You realize that one person who identifies under a specific religious group does not represent ALL of those people. Stop being ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the Muslim community will now press their Muslim brothers in the middle east to show some respect towards Jews and Christians.

Nah - they don't care about other religions. I'm sure they are happy now that they got the Jewish and Christian holidays wiped off the calendar.

I am an AMERICAN Muslim and MCPS teacher. As an American who believes in democracy and free speech, I believe that the Muslim community had every right to advocate for the day off even though I never supported the idea. The community NEVER asked for the other holidays to be removed from the calendar. That was a decision made by the Board of Education NOT supported by the Muslim community.

I am sure the Muslims are thrilled about that though! (getting Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippor off the calendar especially).

The problem is America does want to support and respect other religions. The Muslims do not-I recall a news reoprt where they bitched about an easter egg hunt flyer coming home in their kids backpacks-if you don't wnat to go, throw it out. It seems they only approve of their own religion and therein lies the problem.

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if the Muslim community will now press their Muslim brothers in the middle east to show some respect towards Jews and Christians.

Nah - they don't care about other religions. I'm sure they are happy now that they got the Jewish and Christian holidays wiped off the calendar.

I am an AMERICAN Muslim and MCPS teacher. As an American who believes in democracy and free speech, I believe that the Muslim community had every right to advocate for the day off even though I never supported the idea. The community NEVER asked for the other holidays to be removed from the calendar. That was a decision made by the Board of Education NOT supported by the Muslim community.

I'm a Muslim. I don't think the entire county needs to have Eid off. However, I think it is unfair that teachers who want to observe the holiday must use a personal day.

Anonymous wrote:http://news.yahoo.com/montgomery-schools-religious-holidays-muslim-activists-165958132.html?soc_src=copy

I would rather scrap all the religious references than note Muslim holidays-but I think the Muslims need to realize that this country was founded on Judeo-Christian values, not Muslim ones. I pray this country will NEVER become Muslim centric-then it will be time to flee as it will no longer be America!

I'm not even Muslim and I find this pretty offensive.

No, the country was founded on the concept that everyone should have the right to practice the religion of their choice. The founding fathers were fleeing religious persecution in Europe and wanted to ensure a nation where this would not happen again to its inhabitants, whatever their religion.

You tarnish our nation's reputation and humanity with your elitist pettiness. You would rather not acknowledge any religion than to acknowledge one that you disapprove of.

It's Orwellian: all religions are created equal, but some are more equal than others.

Anonymous wrote:I honestly see this as a snide attack on Jews by Muslims.

HOW? Yom Kippur is the SAME day as Eid next year - it would just share a name on the calendar!

No one is disagreeing with secularism.

I am very disturbed by the number of you that seem to think that people are not both "American" AND "Muslim."

You understand that Americans aren't just graciously welcoming Muslims. Many Muslims are Americans. Many Americans are Muslims.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can always go back to the middle east if they want their holiday-they need to learn "when in Rome.....".

I always love how Christians think that non-Christians asking for equal recognition of their holidays are considered alien, disrespectful, should go back home or just learn to live with recognition for Christian holidays and no recognition of their own.

But if you try to make well wishes generic and inclusive like "Happy Holidays" it's a war on Christmas/Christianity.

So despite the fact the the founding fathers wanted equal respect for all religions, this subset of modern Christians only want respect for Christianity. How charitable.

Respecting minority rights doesn't need to mean that everybody gets their way on everything. MCPS is hardly in session as it is.