Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Calendar Holidays topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Students and parent urge Sewanhaka board to make Eid an official district holiday instead of superintendent conference day
Summary
Speakers at public comment asked the board to designate Eid as an independent school holiday (not part of a superintendent conference day), citing growing Muslim student and staff population; board said it will continue to examine calendar constraints tied to New York State required days of instruction.
Several students and a parent urged the Sewanhaka Central High School District Board of Education on Jan. 28 to recognize Eid as an independent district holiday rather than treating it as a superintendent's conference day.
Safia Dhar, a ninth‑grade student at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, told the board the superintendent's conference‑day accommodation allowed students to observe morning prayers and family gatherings but asked that Eid be made a formal district holiday so staff could also take the day. "We would like to request the board to consider making Eid an official school holiday on its own and not as a day off during superintendent's conference day," Dhar said.
Nut graf: Speakers said the district's growing Muslim population and Muslim staff warrant parity in calendar recognition; district leaders said they understand the request and must reconcile it with New York State instructional‑day and contractual requirements.
Miriam Dar, a tenth grader at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, told the board that superintendent conference‑day status prevents many Muslim teachers and staff from taking the day off to celebrate with their families. A parent, Masooma Zakir, reinforced the students' request and asked to partner with the district on making the change.
Superintendent Mr. Grama responded that the district hears the request and will continue to examine calendar implications tied to state requirements and contractual obligations. "I see you and I hear you," Grama said, adding that the district will "go back and... try and recalculate it all just as predicated on meeting the New York State required days of students in the buildings and adults in the buildings." He said the district will continue the conversation with the community.
Ending: The board did not vote on the request; the next regular board meeting was announced for Feb. 25 at New Hyde Park Memorial High School.
