Muslim students and families in Bridgeport must choose between going to school and practicing their faith every school year.  Unlike Christmas, Three Kings Day, and Good Friday or Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the two Muslim Eid holy days are not yet included by the Bridgeport school system on the official calendar as days off.  With 2000 or more Muslim children in the Bridgeport Schools and growing, the time has come for these two holidays to be added to the District's calendar and given equal treatment as days off of schools

The two holy days are Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha.  Eid al-Fitr is the celebration at the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan.  Eid al Adha is the celebration which follows the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.  Due to the Islamic calendar being fixed to a lunar calendar, these Eid holidays will not always fall during the school year or during the school week.  

During some years the Eid holidays will fall during winter break, summer break, spring break, or weekends, meaning that during some years only one day off will be required.  During certain years, perhaps the district could use these days off for professional development time as well.  Leaders in the local Muslim community have already provided the district with a projection of the number of days off that will be required each year during the coming 30 years.  

Your voice is essential to ensure that those children get the recognition they deserve -- please send an e-letter to the Board of Education and Superintendent today!