Broward County public schools are being asked to close for two Islamic holidays a year under a controversial proposal before the district's Diversity Committee.
The request, from the Florida chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, would make Broward the first in Florida and one of only a few districts in the country to add Moslem holidays into its calendar. Broward and Palm Beach County schools generally close on major Christian and Jewish holidays.
The Islamic holidays requested, which fall on different days depending on the year, are Eid al-Fitr -- the end of Ramadan -- and Eid-al Adha, which marks the end of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
"This is about inclusive diversity, and the Moslem community has too long been excluded," said Roland Foulkes, chairman of the Diversity Committee, which will debate the proposal Thursday night. "This is long overdue, and we need to move beyond the lip service of diversity in the community and reflect the full diversity of everyone." |