Muslim Public School Holidays Will Be Observed In New York City, Says New Mayor

NEW YORK – Muslim families in NewYork City have been requesting officialrecognition for Islamic holidays in publicschools for years now, but they mayfinally see some changes under newMayor Bill de Blasio.On Monday he discussed the issue onthe Brian Lehrer Show, declaring that heplanned to move forward with closingschools for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha,as well as for the Lunar New Year.“It is complicated in terms of logisticsand school calendar and budget. But it’ssomething I want to get done in a reasonabletime frame,” he said, accordingto the New York Daily News.Though Muslims appreciate his efforts,another community is feeling stiffed. DeBlasio said on Monday that he hadn’tyet taken a position on whether Diwalishould be officially recognized with aday off for public schools. The festivalof lights is celebrated in the Hindu, Jain,and Sikh communities and is an importantholiday.Dr. Shashi Shah of the Association ofIndians in America told the Daily News,”We are disappointed. We’ve been tryingfor a long time … It’s very importantfor the community.”