CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts - November 7, 2011 - Public school students in Cambridge have the day off Monday because schools are closed in observance of a Muslim religious holiday. Cambridge is the first district in the state to observe an Islamic holy day.
The Cambridge School Committee voted last year to close on one Muslim holiday every school year. Students are getting the day off for Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice.
The decision came after a group of Muslim students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School reached out to school staff, administrators and their fellow students to raise awareness of their religion.
School committee members said those meetings and the significant number of Muslim students in Cambridge schools were factors in their decision. There are only a few other cities in the U.S. that recognize Muslim holidays.
"People recognize three major religions in this country - Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It didn't seem right that we would close for two of those religions, but not the third," said school committee member Marc McGovern.
Muslims pray five times a day and observe two high holy days: Eid-al-Adha and Eid-al-Fatr. Every year, the city will close schools for one of the two holidays, depending on which falls in the calendar school year.
If both fall in the calendar school year, the district will only close for only one of those days.
"The Cambridge School Committee cannot change world politics, but within our district, within our jurisdiction, we can stand up and say, 'We are going to show respect. We are going to honor a very vibrant and large community,'" said McGovern
