Education Rally To Highlight Muslim Concerns

Tomorrow afternoon in the South Bronx, an amalgamation of community groups collectively known as the Bronx Coalition for Muslim School Holidays will hold a forum to discuss proposals to create public school holidays for two Muslim holy days: Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha.

"Children can be excused from school with a note to celebrate their holiday; we know an absence is an absence, whether excused or not. The point is that a child will not recover what is missed that day," said Bakary Camara, a parent leader with the coalition.

It is unknown exactly how many public school children are actually affected by the lack of Muslim holidays in public schools. The release states that there are as many as 100,000 Muslim children in public schools, but does not offer any citation for the number.

Queens State Senator John Sabini and Bronx Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr., have both introduced laws in the legislature to make the proposed holidays a reality.