New York public schools to close on two Muslim holidays

New York public schools will add two Muslim holidays

New York public schools will add two Muslim holidays to their vacation calendars; a policy change that was hailed by Islamic leaders in New York City.

Under the new policy, the city’s 1.1 million-pupil public school system will close on Sept. 24 for Eid al-Adha, which is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice. 

The holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, will be observed during summer school in 2016. 

Estimates of the number of Muslims living in New York City vary from 600,000 to 1 million.

Community leaders have long urged adding the two Muslim holidays to the school calendar, and the City Council passed a resolution supporting the change in 2009.