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Schools

Muslims ask for school holidays

The holidays were not included in the 2005-2006 school calendar, but the School Board agreed to consider them for the following year.

By MELANIE AVE
Published January 19, 2005

TAMPA - People from three faiths stood before the Hillsborough School Board on Tuesday and asked for greater acceptance of Muslim holidays in the school calendar.

It is only fair, they said, given that schools close on days that coincide with the Jewish Yom Kippur and the Christian Christmas and Good Friday. Why can't students also get time off for the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha?

Fishhawk Creek Elementary student Sarah Zaki, a Muslim, said she had to miss "one of the most fun days of school because it fell on Eid." And her brother had to miss a field trip once.

"Think what it would be like walking in my shoes," she told the board members.

The school district does not officially give students days off for religious holidays, believing it is unconstitutional mixing of church and state. Instead it schedules "nonstudent days" around some holidays.

After a hand-wringing discussion, board members stopped short of granting the request to add the days to next year's calendar, but agreed to explore it for the following school year. They approved the 2005-2006 calendar, which includes time off for Yom Kippur and Good Friday.

They told the school administration's calendar committee to take a deeper look at vacation days for the 2006-2007 school year, including a thorough examination of religious holidays for various faiths.

"What you do for one you do for all," said board member Carol Kurdell.

Several Muslims who spoke at the meeting said they are happy the board is being sensitive to their desires even if members did not give them the holidays. They said they believe the board will comply eventually.

"It will happen," said Ezzat Zaki. "We should be very thankful the board did what it did."

Several members of the Muslim community recently asked the board to grant the holidays off, and to also include the days on the school system's master calendar so that teachers will not schedule assignments and activities on those days.

Board members said effective immediately the district's calendar will list the Muslim holidays so that teachers and principals can take them into account.

They vowed a renewed commitment to an existing policy that allows students to take time off for religious holidays, with proper notice, without affecting exam exemptions and perfect attendance honors.

Ahmed Bedier, communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Tampa, said he hopes the door has opened to some day having a student day off timed with a Muslim holiday. He also believes people of other faiths may also benefit.

"There seems to be a commitment to diversity," he said.

Besides several Muslim speakers, the Rev. Robert White of Valrico and Rabbi Robert Goodman asked the board to support the Islamic holidays.

"I think tonight's discussion was important," Goodman said. "They have to be sensitive to the whole community."

In other business, the board also named several new principals.

The new assignments are: Hunter's Green Elementary principal Donna Ares to the new Turner Elementary School; Ruskin Elementary principal Ellen Jennings to the new Collins Elementary School; Alafia Elementary principal Pamela Locke to Frost Elementary School; Dale Mabry Elementary principal Joyce Wieland to Westchase Elementary School; and Benito Middle School principal Ronald Fritz to the new Giunta Middle School.

The board also suspended Potter Elementary School teacher Gregory Blake without pay after he was arrested in December and charged with driving under the influence and marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession. Blake, 24, who works with children with disabilities, has worked for the school district since September.

Melanie Ave can be reached at 813 226-3400 or melanie@sptimes.com

[Last modified January 19, 2005, 00:32:23]