NYC Schools to Observe Muslim Holidays
12-31-1969
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city's public school system will close for two Muslim holidays next year.
They're the first Islamic holidays recognized by the nation's largest school system, which includes more than a million kids.
"When these holidays are recognized, it's a sign that Muslims have a role in the political and social fabric of America," The New York Times quoted Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
De Blasio said the move means that hundreds of thousands of Muslim families will no longer have to choose between sending their kids to school or observing the Islamic holidays.
According to the Times report, Muslims make up about around 10 percent of the student body.
