Guess the Country

[kscarbel2]

Furious Muslims fight New Jersey school board over religious holiday closure

Associated Press / September 23, 2015

Tempers flared at a school board meeting in New Jersey when a room crowded with Muslim parents learned that schools will remain open during Thursday's Muslim religious holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Several of the Muslim parents and children screamed in rage and openly wept when the board announced its decision.

At one point, a young woman in a purple head scarf took the microphone and told them: 'We're no longer the minority, that's clear from tonight. We’re going to be the majority soon.'

A Jewish parent who attended the meeting said some people in his community felt they were being discriminated against because the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were not on Jersey City's official school closure list.

Meanwhile just across the Hudson River in New York City, schools will be closed for Eid Al-Adha for the first time as a result of a change put in place by Mayor Bill de Blasio in March.

The Jersey City Board of Education had originally proposed to close local schools on September 24 to allow Muslim children to observe the holiday.

The City Council unanimously voted in favor of the closure two weeks ago.

However, during the contentious four-hour meeting held last Thursday, the board voted to keep Jersey City schools open so as not to cause disruptions for non-Muslim families.

‘Doing this at this point on six days’ notice for this upcoming holiday is going to cause undue hardship on 5,000 to 10,000 people, who are going to have to scramble to get coverage for their children,’ board member Gerald Lyons told the meeting.

Board members said that Muslim students who choose to take Thursday off to observe Eid al-Adha will not be penalized.

The school board is expected to review its religious holiday policy later this year.

Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is the second of two religious holidays celebrated by Muslims around the world to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

[mrsmackpaul]

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM the worlds gone mad

Paul

[kscarbel2]

If they want to be devout Muslims, they’re best off living in their Muslim country of origin.

Want to live in the United States? Then renounce the Sharia Law, swear to place the U.S. Constitution above your religion and subjugate to the American way of life.

If unwilling to become an American, well, the taxi outside can drop you off at the airport.

[41chevy]

I'm a Druid I want Ardor Day off!!

[Timmyb]

Religion! Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs but no thanks, not for me!

[41chevy]

Seems most everywhere is not the smallest group with the biggest voice makes the rules. Schools allow you to wear a Muslin Crescent, a Star of David in view but not a Crucifix! A Catholic university was ordered to remove the Crucifixes from public areas because a Muslim group found them offensive! Why did they chose a private Christian College to attend than?

Doesn't fall under the Separation of Church and State line either. That was written not to limit religion but to prevent the Government declaring a state religion, like was done in England at the time.

When are we getting the Asian, Hindu, Weegan, Central and South American Holidays added on? Might as well go whole hog and add in the Gay and Lesbians, the agnostics and what ever other group wants in, since the country seems to be in the "kiss everyones AZZ" mode.

My opinion, you don't like it? do go there or leave.

[RedBullDog]

Skipping a day of new jersey public school probably won't make that great of a difference in their overall education. If your chosen beliefs or interests call for a day out, by all means take it. Don't try to subject the other 99% to your calendar.

If everyone closed up schools for everyone else's "special days" then no kid would learn to read or write at school. Every day of the year is a big deal to someone

[RowdyRebel]

There is a reason "Christian" holidays have schools typically closed: When 80% of the teachers refuse to show up to work on "Good Friday" or "Christmas", the school has no choice but to close because there aren't enough substitutes (especially when some of those also refuse to show up those days) to cover for the absent teachers. Even if school WAS open, not much is going to be taught if 80% of the students are not there. In a district predominately another religion, the "problem" might bias towards that other religion. Simple fact, if you don't have teachers willing to teach or students sitting in the classroom on those days, school will be closed. It isn't the school district showing preference to one religion over another, but rather accepting the reality of the fact that in a nation which recognizes the individual right to free exercise of religion, if a large number of your staff and students will not be present due to their observance of a religious holiday, there is no reason to even try remaining open on those days. If you aren't a follower of that faith, you get a free day off...and then you STILL get to play hooky on your own religious holidays, and it is an "excused" absence which won't be held against you. So where's the problem?

[david wild]

I am a member of the holy church of pussy and pray as often as I can.

[Super Duty John]

Furious Muslims fight New Jersey school board over religious holiday closure

Associated Press / September 23, 2015

Tempers flared at a school board meeting in New Jersey when a room crowded with Muslim parents learned that schools will remain open during Thursday's Muslim religious holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Several of the Muslim parents and children screamed in rage and openly wept when the board announced its decision.

At one point, a young woman in a purple head scarf took the microphone and told them: 'We're no longer the minority, that's clear from tonight. We’re going to be the majority soon.'

A Jewish parent who attended the meeting said some people in his community felt they were being discriminated against because the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were not on Jersey City's official school closure list.

Meanwhile just across the Hudson River in New York City, schools will be closed for Eid Al-Adha for the first time as a result of a change put in place by Mayor Bill de Blasio in March.

The Jersey City Board of Education had originally proposed to close local schools on September 24 to allow Muslim children to observe the holiday.

The City Council unanimously voted in favor of the closure two weeks ago.

However, during the contentious four-hour meeting held last Thursday, the board voted to keep Jersey City schools open so as not to cause disruptions for non-Muslim families.

‘Doing this at this point on six days’ notice for this upcoming holiday is going to cause undue hardship on 5,000 to 10,000 people, who are going to have to scramble to get coverage for their children,’ board member Gerald Lyons told the meeting.

Board members said that Muslim students who choose to take Thursday off to observe Eid al-Adha will not be penalized.

The school board is expected to review its religious holiday policy later this year.

Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is the second of two religious holidays celebrated by Muslims around the world to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Thank you Obama. He did the same thing to NASA....

Edited October 2, 2015 by Super Duty John